Reptiles and Amphihians of Illinois. 3^9 



Desmognathus fiiscus, Boulenger, Cdt. Balr. *yal. in Coll. Brit. 



Mus., 2d ed., 1882, Sal. Caudata, p. 77. 

 DesmoynatJms fiisctis, subsp. fust-vs, Davis and Rice, Bull. 111. 



State Lab. Nat. Hist., I., No. 5, 1883, p. 14; Bull. Chicago 



Acad. Sci., 1883. 



Length, including the tail, about three and a half inches. 

 With fourteen costal folds. Body moderately stout. Head of 

 moderate size, snout prolonged. Eyes prominent, with a tu- 

 bercle in the anterior angle. Tongue oblong oval in outline. 

 Two series of lateral pores, the superior of which is imperfect, 

 or may be lacking. Tail subcylindrical at the base, compressed 

 and carinate above, with a dorsal membranous expansion dis- 

 tally. 



Color above brown, marbled with pink and gray, paler and 

 marbled beneath and on the sides. Young with two dorsal 

 longitudinal series of pink spots; old individuals uniform 

 blackish. 



Length of body, 2.3; tail, 1.76. 



Mt. Carmel (Ridgway). 



This species is reported by Messrs. Davis and Rice as 

 occurring throughout the State. It lives in swift flowing 

 brooks, under stones. The eggs are laid embedded in strings of 

 gelatinous material and are carried wrapped about the body of 

 one of the adults. There are two varieties of the species, but 

 only the variety fusca has been observed in Illinois. The 

 variety auriculata may be looked for in southern Illinois. Prof. 

 Cope characterizes the two forms as follows: 



Above brown, with gray or pink shades; sides and belly mar- 

 bled, the pale predominating; no red spots on sides. 



var. FUSCA. 



Above and sides black; the latter with a series of small red 

 spots; a red spot from eye to canthus of mouth present or 

 absent; belly marbled, the dark predominating. 



var. AURICULATA. 



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