Beptiles and Ampliihians of Illinois. 381 



superior. Mouth large, jaws strong, the lower jaw bearing a 

 membranous fold of skin on each side. Tongue large, free in 

 front. Teeth on jaws and palatines in single series and 

 directed backwards. Gill cleft not large; no gular fold. Legs 

 rather stout; digits short, with very slight webs, and the outer 

 ones with membranous expansions. Tail short, stout at base, 

 compressed distally, and with a large dorsal expansion. 



Color above and below uniform leaden, with obscure dark 

 spots. 



Length of a small specimen : from tip of snout to poste- 

 rior end of anal slit, 7.25; from latter point to the end of the 

 tail, 3.87. 



Wabash River (Ridgway). 



This species is said by Prof. Cope to occur in all the tribu- 

 taries of the Mississippi River, and so may prol)ably be found 

 throughout the State. It is a large aquatic batrachian resem- 

 bling in many respects the larvge of our salamanders. It is 

 said to feed upon crayfish, fishes, reptiles, etc. Specimens from 

 Ecorse, Michigan, examined l)y Prof. S. I. Smith, had eaten 

 Camhanis propinqnns, together with a neuropterous larva 

 allied to Perla, and a small fish. 



Family PROTEID^. 



Two pairs of legs present, all with four digits, or the an- 

 terior with three and the posterior with two. Jaws provided 

 with teeth. No parasphenoid teeth. No eyelids. Branchial 

 tufts persistent, with three free arches in the branchial open- 

 ing. Premaxillaries not anchylosed. Maxillaries, nasals, and 

 prefrontals wanting. Pterygoids and palatines present. Occi- 

 pital condyles sessile. Carpus and tarsus cartilaginous. Ver- 

 tebra? amphiccHlian. 



Neoturus, Rafinesque. 



Kafinesque, Jour. Phys., 1819, vol. 88, p. 417. 



Wagler, Nat. Syst. Amph., 1830, p. 210. 



Smith (Menobranchus) Tailed Amphibians, 1877, p. 17. 



Four digits on all the feet. Body stout. Mouth of mod- 

 erate size, termiual, with large fleshy lips. Tongue free in front; 



