Beptiles and Amphibians of Illinois. 357 



belong in the main to the groups Branchiopoda and Ostracoda. 

 I have observed the sexes engaged in the reproductive act in 

 July, but this was probably preparatory to a second brood, for 

 I have now before me a nearly grown larva which was taken 

 in southern Illinois April 20, and is probably the offspring of 

 adults which met early in spring. 



Family DESMOGNATHID^. 



No branchial tufts; opening closed in adults. Fingers 

 four; toes five. Palatine teeth borne on transverse processes 

 of the palatine bones. Parasphenoid with two thin plates 

 bearing elongate patches of teeth. Parietals not embracing 

 frontals. Prefrontals and pterygoids wanting. Occipital con- 

 dyles with pedicels. Carpus and tarsus cartilaginous. Verte- 

 brsB opisthoccelian. 



Peculiar to America. 



Desmognathus, Baird. 



Baird. Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila.,2d Ser., 1849, 1., 282. 

 Cope, Proc. Acad, Nat. Sci. Phila., 1869, p. 112. 



Tongue large, free laterally and posteriorly. Palatine 

 teeth in two short series on transverse processes of the palatine 

 bones. Premaxillaries united, embracing a narrow fontanel. 

 Parietals ossified. Tail subcylindrical at base, compressed dis- 

 tally. With lateral series of mucous pores. 



An examination of the cranial bones and vertebra? is nec- 

 essary to separate members of this genus from those of Pletho- 

 don. There are no essential external differences between the 

 two genera. Three species are known from the eastern United 

 States, and two of them occur in Illinois. 



Desmognathus nigra, Green. Black Salamander. 



Salamandm nigra, Green, Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1818, 1., 



p. 352. 

 Triton niger, De Kay, Nat. Hist. N. Y.. I., Zoul. III., Kept, and 



Araph.. 1842, p. 8.5, pi. 15, fig. 35.— Holbr., N. A. Herp., 1842, 



v., p. 81, pi. 27. 

 Desmognathus ntger, Baird, Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila.. 2d Ser., 



1849, 1., p. 285. 



