35 



to be regarded as a variety. Mr. A. W. Butler reports this form from 

 Bloomington. 



The value of the einereus and erythronotn>i forms is difficult to determine. 

 They have been regarded as distinct species. Prof Cope says that as va- 

 rieties they are very permanent ones. He has found all of the. young of 

 the same brood or set of eggs, whether in the eggs or just escaped from 

 them, uniformly with either dark backs or red ones. He has found red- 

 backed specimens watching eggs with red-backed embryos, and brown- 

 backed adults in charge of brown-backed embryos. He states also that 

 there is some differences in the geographical distribution of the two forms. 

 In general, however, the two are found in the same region, and it is no 

 unusual thing to find both kinds under the same log. Further accurate 

 observations are needed in order to settle this question, Blatchley (94i 

 '91, 25), reports finding them in equal numbers at Terre Haute. This 

 species is found in the territory extending from Maine, Ontario and Wis- 

 consin south to Mississippi and Georgia. 



In Indiana, specimens have been reported from New Harmony {einereus, 

 Hay); Franklin County (Butler); Monroe County (Ind. Univ. col.); 

 Terre Haute (Evermann and Blatchley) ; Brookville (einereus and erythro- 

 nptus, 51, 135 and 137) ; Crawfordsville (Beachler) ; Wyandotte Cave 

 (dorsalis, Hay) ; Lake Maxinkuckee (einereus and erythronotus, Dr. Vei*- 

 non Gould) ; North Manchester, Wabash County, both forms (A. B. 

 Ulrey). Some of the specimens from the last named locality have the 

 dorsal streak of a more brilliant red than any others that I have ever 

 seen. 



The habits of this species appear to be wholly terrestrial. The eggs 

 are laid in May, in damp situations, under stones, logs and leaves. The 

 young are at first provided with branchiae, but these are soon absorbed, 

 and are probably not of much use to them at any time. The young are 

 solicitously watched by one or the other of the adults. Smith (IS, 725), 

 states that he found specimens in the neighborhood of Vassar College, on 

 the 6th of April. He adds that when it is disturbed it runs swiftly away, 

 unless it is accompanied by the young, in which case neither these nor the 

 adult attempt to escape. He thinks the adults feed the young. The 

 eggs, the same author says, are laid in packets of from 6 to 11, and some- 

 times as late as June, while in the White Mouatains the period of ovopo- 

 sition may be delayed as late as August. The food consists of insects 

 and small snails. In one specimen collected, near Wyandotte Cave, I 

 found a small shell allied to Helix, while in the stomach of another were 

 the bodies of numerous ants. The species is quite active, running away 

 when molested and hiding under the leaves. It can climb glass by apply- 

 ing the feet and abdomen closely to the surface. 



