REPTILES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 247 



S. fasciata. Green. The banded Salamander. 



Joiu-nal Academy Nat. Sciences, vol. i. p. 350. 

 Hailan's Med. aud Phys. Res. p. 94. 

 N. A. Herpet. vol. iii. p. 103, et fig. 



The beautiful living specimen, from which my description is 

 made, was found by Professor Hitchcock, at Monson, and kind- 

 ly transmitted to me. 



Its length is five inches ; length of the tail equal to that of 

 the body ; oval at its anterior portion, slightly compressed in 

 its middle, and pointed at its posterior extremity. Upper part 

 of the body, of a light clay or ash color, with transverse dark 

 brown bands extending from the head to the extremity of the 

 tail. Whole under portion of the body, of a dark slate color. 



Width of the head, equal to one half its length. Eyes prom- 

 inent ; pupils, black ; irides, color of the abdomen. Snout, 

 rounded. Anterior feet, four toed ; posterior, five toed. 



Some of the bands in my specimen are confluent. 



This is the only individual I have seen, and therefore think 

 it must be a rare species with us. 



S. venenosa. Barton. The violet-colored Salamander. 



Daud. Hist. Nat. des Rept. t. viii. p. 229. 

 Trans, of Amer. Phil. Soc. vol. vi. et fig. 

 Harlan's Med. and Phys. Res, p. 93. 

 N. A. Herpetol. vol, iii; p. 105, et fig. 



Dr. Barton's account of this, our earliest described Salamander, 

 which is exceedingly interesting, is contained in the " Transac- 

 tions of the American Philosophical Society." His specimen 

 was six inches and eight tenths of an inch in length. It grows 

 to a larger size even than this. 



The specimen upon my table, is five inches in length ; tail, 

 two and a half inches long, cylindrical at the base, compressed to- 

 wards the extremity. All the upper part of the body, of a dark 



