17 



The very young have not yet been seen, so that it is not known 

 whether or not they possess gills. If gills are present on hatching, they 

 must be very transient, at most. 



Maximillian, Prinz von Wied {lOS xxii, 136), states that he found the 

 young of this species at New Harmony. They were about three inches 

 long, had two gill-slits yet open, and remains of external gills. These 

 gills were afterward gradually absorbed. It is possible, however, that 

 these were the young of some Ambystoma, as Professor Cope has suggested 

 to me. 



The Hellbender is said to eat worms, crustaceans and fishes. It will 

 probably eat almost anything that presents itself. 



Grote states that he has seen these animals with the shed skin rolled 

 up in their mouths, as if in the act of swallowing it. They were observed 

 during July and August to have a swaying motion of the body, but the 

 purpose of this was not discovered. The statement is also made that 

 during the time of pairing of the sexes the tail becomes broader and the 

 lateral folds undergo some changes. The eggs seem to be deposited in 

 the water during the month of August. 



Professor S. P. Gage and wife have made the observation that this 

 animal at times draws in water by pharyngeal movements and expels it 

 through the gill-slits. 



Family IV. AMBYSTOMATIDtE. 



No persistent gills or gill-slits. Limbs four ; digits four to five. 

 Vomers broad, with the teeth on the posterior edge, the vomero- 

 palatine teeth forming a nearly straight row across the roof of the mouth, 

 in a line just behind the choanse. No parasphenoidal teeth. Tongue 

 large, with a narrow anterior and lateral free edge. Carpus and tarsus 

 ossified. 



Of the Amhystomcdid(e, as here defined, all the species belong to North 

 America, except a single one, and that occurs in Siam. Of the N. A. 

 forms Professor Cope recognizes four genera. Since these genera are 

 founded on peculiarities of structure of the hyoid apparatus, and these 

 require minute dissections, aud since all known Indiana species belong to 

 the genus Ambystoma, the others are not defined. The genera recognized 

 by Professor Cope are Amblystoma, Chondrotus, Lingtudapms aud Dicamp- 

 todon. 



Genus AMBYSTOMA, Tschiuli. 

 Figure 1, Plate 1. 



Ambystoma, Tschudi, 1838, 29, 92 ; Amblydoma, Agassiz, 1848, 100. 

 Larval forms. 



Siredon, Wagler, 1830, 75, 209. 

 (2) 



