BATRACHIANS OF THE VICINITY OF NEW YORK 171 
It may be found in numbers, hiding under flat stones and logs in 
damp woods. Although provided with very small and slender 
limbs, it displays remarkable agility when disturbed, either 
wriggling its way among fallen leaves, or progressing over them 
by a series of jumps caused by doubling its worm-like body into 
a series of lateral undulations and suddenly straightening itself. 
The eggs are deposited under damp and decaying logs, in 
moss or under stones. When the minute larve emerge, they 
possess external gills, but these are absorbed within a few days’ 
FIG. 7. THE RED-BACKED SALAMANDER 
From specimen in New York Zodlogical Park 
time. The species is never aquatic at any stage of its life. It is 
easily distinguished from the other salamanders by its extremely 
slender body and perfectly round tail. 
The Red-backed Salamander Plethodon cinereus erythronotus 
Green (Fig. 7), in size and dimensions is like the preceding form. 
Grayish on the sides with a bright reddish band on Red-backed 
the back. Salaman- 
This band is wide, covering the greater portion Bae 
of the back and extending towards the end of the tail, where it 
becomes obscure. The lower portions of the sides present a 
