176 



The color above is a light browoish red; below, a pale salmon. The 

 species closely resembles some of the varieties of Spelerpes ruber, and in- 

 cases of doubt it may be necessary to expose the premaxillary bone ini 

 order to determine with certainty the genus. 



Spelerpes ruber, (Daudin.). 

 Red Triton. 



Salamandra rubra, Daudin, 1802, 69, viii, 227; Spelerpes ruber, Bou- 

 lenger, 1882, S8, b2 ; Cope, 1889, 51, 172, with figures. 



This species has not at this date been found within the territory of 

 Indiana ; yet since it has been taken about Cincinnati and Columbus, 

 Ohio, and in the region about Chicago, it undoubtedly is an inhabitant of 

 Indiana. It is, therefore, proper that it should be here described, for the 

 double purpose of calling attention to it and of enabling observers tO' 

 identify it. Wherever it occurs it appears to be an abundant species. 



This is a rather heavily built species, although the young are more 

 slender. The width of the head is contained in the distance to the groin 

 six times or a little less. The length of the tail two-fifths the total length. 

 It is thick at the base, flattened toward the tip, keeled above from a 

 short distance from the base, and below along the pcfeterior half. The 

 limbs are feebly developed ; when the fore and hind legs are pressed to 

 the side they lack about seven costal interspaces of meeting. Of the costal 

 grooves there are fifteen, rarely sixteen. The tongue is boletoid. The 

 vomerine teeth run along the hinder border of the choanse transversely^ 

 then bend at a right angle and run backward to meet the parasphenoidal 

 patches. 



The color above varies from salmon to orange, vermillion, or brown- 

 ish red. The belly is usually of some shade of red and without spots. 

 Above there are numerous spots of black, which are distinct in the 

 young, but in the old are more diffused, giving a brownish tinge to the 

 whole upper surface. The total length may be six inches. 



This beautiful animal is more aquatic than any others of the genus that 

 Ave have with us. Prof. Cope states that its chief haunts are cold springs, 

 but it is frequently seen in damp situations under the bark of fallen, 

 trees. It comes on the land after rains. 



Spelerpes guttolineatus, (Holbrook.) 

 Holbrook's Triton. 



Salamandra guttoUneata, Holbrook, 1842, 54, v, 29, pi. 7 ; Spelerpes 

 (juttolineatus, Boulenger, 1882, 28, 65; Cope, 1889, 51, 170, with figures. 



This is another species that may yet be found to occur in Indiana. 

 It is most abundant in the Alleghany Mountains, but has been reported 

 by Robert Kennicott from New Madrid, Mo. 



