314 



L WER VER TEBRA TES. 



oregonensis is found in the coast range mul redwood forests of California. It is of a 

 beautiful salmon color, and has pretty prominent eyes. 



The species of SpeUrpes are often handsomely colored. The S. longicauda is often 

 found in caves in the limestone regions of the southern states. It is of a slender 

 form and a rich yellow color, with broken bands of black on the body. The S. 

 guttolineatus is marked with longitudinal brown bauds. It is common in the moun- 

 tain regions of the south. The common northern species are S. bilineatus and S. 

 ruber. The former is a small species, with a black line on each side of its back and a 

 citron-yellow belly. It is especially common in stony brooks in the woods. S. ruber 

 is of a brilliant red color, and is usually found in cold springs. It is more or less 

 brown or even black spotted, and there is a variety which is of a lead color above. It 

 remains long in the larval stage, and the larv.-e are as frequently seen as the adults. 

 S. longicaudus, S. guttolineatus, and S. bilineatus occasionally retain the larval balancers. 

 These are a pair of elongate cylindric rods, one of which issues from each side of the 

 head in the salamander larva, in front of the branchiae. They are permanently re- 



FKi. 1^2. — Spelerpes longicauda. 



tained in the Casciliae. The largest species of Spelei-pes is the ^S". beUii of the damp 

 mountains of Mexico. It is lead-colored, with a double row of red spots on the 

 back. 



A genus which is confined to the neotropical region is CEdipus. It only differs 

 from Spelerpes in having the digits united together in a common integument, which is 

 in fact only a persistence of the condition which belongs to an early stage of the 

 larva. The most common species, (E. variegatus, is black below and yellow above. 

 It is found everywhere with the /Spelerpes bellii. CE. rufescens is a small species which, 

 according to Sumichrast, lays its eggs in the water that accumulates in the axils of 

 the leaves of some of the parasitic Tillandsine wliich grow on the trees in the Mexican 

 forests. (E. altaniazonicus is found in eastern Peru. Allied to this genus are some 

 weak and slender species with the skull imperfectly ossified. They are referred to 

 the genus (Edipina. CE. lineolus is found in eastern Mexico, and (E. imiforniis is a 

 species of Costa Rica, Central America. 



In Europe one genus of Plethodontida^ is found (Geotritan). It has all the char- 

 acters of CEdipus, except that the premaxillary bone is divided and not single. The 

 only species, G.fascus, is confined to northern Italy. 



With the Desmogxathid.« we commence the salamanders with ball and socket 

 vertebrie. Tliere are but two genera known ; Desmognathus, which is North American, 

 and Thorivs, which is Mexican. But three species of Desmognathus are known. 

 D.fusca is an abundant aquatic salamander of the eastern United States. It is found 

 in springs and dam]) jilaces under stones. In common with other species of the 

 genus it has a peculiar structure which is especially adapted for moving stones with 



