15 



by the naked eye. The number of their vertebrae is also worthy of re- 

 mark, there being altogether about 110, of which sixty -five lie in front 

 of the sacrum. 



Family IV. CRYPTOBRANCHID^. 



Form salamandriue. Head broad and depressed, mouth wide. 

 Limbs four, well developed. Tail broad and compressed. Teeth on 

 the anterior edge of vomers, concentric with those of premaxillaries and 

 maxillaries, but not extending so far back as latter. No teeth on par- 

 asphenoids. 



Contains two living genera, Megalobatrachus of Japan, three feet long, 

 and the following : 



Genus CRYPTOBRANCHUS, Leuckart. 



Cryptobranchus, Leuckart, 1821, 77, 260; Boulenger, 1882, 28, SI; 

 Cope, 1889, 51, 37 ; Menopoma, Harlan, 1825, 62, 221. 



Tongue large, free in front One gill-slit on each side. Four 

 branchial arches. Maxillary row of teeth extending back to angle of 

 mouth ; the vomerine to choante ; the two series lying close together. 



Tongue free in front ; its upper surface with folds. 



alleghaniensis, p. 15. 



Tongue not free ; its upper surface with large papillae. Tenn. 



fuscus, 



Cryptobranchus alleghaniensis, (Daudin.) 



Alleghany Salammider ; Hellbender. 



Saktviandra alleghaniensis, Daudin, 1803, 69, viii. 231; Cryp. salaman- 

 droides, Leuck., 1. c. ; Menopoma alleg., Harlan, 1. c, with figures; Hol- 

 brook, 1842, 54., v. 95, pi. 32; Cryp. alleg., Van der Hoeven, I04., iv. 

 384 ; Boulenger, 28, 81 ; Cope, 1889, 51, 38, with figures. 



Size large, body heavy and depressed. Head broad and flat and snout 

 rounded. Tail broad and much compressed, and with a fin along its up- 

 per edge ; its length equal to half the remainder of the animal. Skin 

 richly provided with mucous follicles, especially about the head. Sides 

 with a conspicuous, corrugated cutaneous fold, which extends from the 

 angle of the mouth to the middle of the tail. 



Mouth large, the gape extending to behind the eyes. Nostrils small, 

 close to the edge of the lips. Eyes small, with no evident lids. Limbs 

 short and stout, bordered externally by a fold of membrane, which ex- 

 tends down to the outer toe. Hinder limb stoutest, and bordered behind 

 by a second fold, which, near the foot, passes into the external fold. 

 Digits 4-5. 



