Ill regard to distribution of tlie reptilian fauna of the 

 state, it will be advisable to proceed in tlie order of system- 

 atic classification. 



The Batrachians are represented by four orders: the 

 Proteida, Trachystomata, Urodela and Salientia. 



With the exception of the European species, the Proteus 

 angnmus [the "Olin" of the Germans], the AmencunNectHrus 

 maculatns furnishes us the only animal which may really and 

 truly be termed amphibious. The larval gills being persist- 

 ent, it can live independently either in or out of the water at 

 any period of its life. 



The Trachystomata are represented in Louisiana by two 

 genera, each with but one species — Siren lacertina and 

 Cryptobranchus allegheniensis. 



The tailed Batrachians, or Urodela, are typified by 

 a number of highly interesting forms belonging to five 

 families. The well known and unjustly supposed poisonous 

 Congo Eel belongs to this order. Several species of Am- 

 blystoma are popularly known as " Ground Puppies," and are 

 to be found under decaying logs in almost every part of the 

 state. The Desmognathidw furnish the student a species 

 of Salamander [Desmognathus fusca], which is remarkable for 

 the peculiar care which the male takes of the ova. The eggs, 

 connected by an albuminous covering which soon dries and 

 shrivels up, are wrapped like a string of beads around the 

 body, and carried by the male until hatched. The same pro- 

 cedure is performed by the male of the well known "Geburts- 

 helfer Krote" [Alytes obstetricans\ of middle Germany. 



Last, but not least, we must now consider the remaining 

 order of Batrachians : the tailless or Anura, among which 

 we may recognize many of the midnight musicians of our 

 swamps and bayous. 



The frogs and toads have been classified by investigators 

 into four sub-orders : the Bufoniformia, or true toads; the 

 Arci/era, with the spade-foot and tree frogs; the Firmisternia, 

 with a single genus and sjiecies [Engysioma carolincnse\, the 

 Carolina tree toad, and lastly the true frogs [Raniformia]^ 

 with but a single genus, furnishing the bandmaster par 

 excellence — the bull frog [Rami catcsbiana]. 



A few remarks on the toxic qualities of some of the mem- 

 bers of both the Urodela and Anura may not be out of place. 

 That the secretions, especially of the parotid glands of the 

 salamanders and toads, contain poisonous principles [irrita- 

 ting chiefly all mucous linings Avith which the secretion 



