Hurter — Herpetology of Missouri. 71 



dark brown spots and blotches irregularly distributed over the whole 

 back and sides of the tail, where, as in the others, these spots are 

 very indistinct and sometimes entirely absent. Cope states that some 

 specimens are almost entirely black. 



Size — a specimen in my collection from the Ohio River measures 

 435 mm. total length, tail 165 mm. One from the Gasconade River, 

 Mo., measures 430 mm., tail 140 mm. 



Habitat. — The species is distributed from western New 

 York, Pennsylvania, and the Great Lakes to Iowa, south 

 to Georgia, North Carolina, and Louisiana. I have speci- 

 mens from the Gasconade, Current and Eleven Point 

 Rivers in Missouri. 



Habits. — The Hellbender is entirely aquatic in its habits 

 and is frequently caught by fishermen on hooks baited 

 with minnows. I never have seen one from the Missis- 

 sippi near St. Louis, and I hardly think they will be 

 found, as the river is too muddy and the water too warm 

 in summer. The animal seems to like clear, cold water. 

 Boiling Spring, near Arlington, Phelps Co., Mo., is an 

 ideal place for them, where they can be easily secured with 

 a hook baited with minnows or worms. 



Superfamily Salamandkoideae. 



The Salamandroids fall into three families, namely, 

 the Ambystomidae, Plethodontidae, and Salamandridae. 

 The Plethodontidae are characterized by the presence of 

 parasphenoid teeth. 



Family Ambystomidae. 



No branchial tufts; openings closed in adults. With four legs; 

 fingers four, toes five. Palatine teeth in a more or less transverse 

 series. Eyelids present. Teeth on the maxillaries and premaxillaries. 

 No parasphenoid teeth. Tongue free in front. Palatine bones not pro- 

 longed over the parasphenoid. Pterygoids and prefrontals present, 

 the latter with the parietals prolonged and embracing the frontals. 

 Occipital condyles sessile. Carpus and tarsus ossified. Vertebrae 

 amphicoelian. (Garman.) 



