I THE AMPHIBIA IN GENERAL 5 



America. Each genus contains but a single species. The 

 larger of these, Si7'en laceriina, is found in the rivers and 

 ponds of the Southern States, from Texas to North Caro- 

 lina. The body is long and snakelike in appearance. The 

 fore legs are very short and situated close behind the exter- 



FlG. 2. — Siren lacertina. (From the Cambridge Natural History.) ' 



nal gills ; the feet are four-toed. There are three pairs of 

 gill slits. The genus Pseudobranchus has only one pair 

 of gill slits instead of three, and the feet possess but three 

 toes. The single species, P. striatus, occurs in Georgia and 

 Florida. 



The Amphiumidse include forms of quite diverse appear- 

 ance, which are sometimes placed in distinct families. The 

 genus Amphiuma is represented by a single species, A. means, 

 found in the Southern States of North America. The body 

 is eel-like, with the very small legs situated far apart, near 

 the two extremities. There is a single pair of gill slits 

 behind the head, near the fore legs. The length of this 

 species is often over two feet. The female lays her eggs in 

 the latter part of the summer, and lies coiled about them in 

 some protected spot, until they hatch. 



The genera Cryptobranchus and Megalobatrachus are 

 sometimes placed in a distinct family, the Cryptobranchi- 

 dae. The former is represented by the large " hellbender," 



