WATRACHIANS OF THE VICINITY OF NEW YORE 1x79 
appear almost uniform black above and show no traces of mark- 
ings except on the sides and abdomen. The head is about the 
same width as the body. The front pair of limbs is feeble; the 
hind pair, larger and stronger. Total length, 4} inches; length 
of tail, 24 inches; diameter of body, inch. 
Range: Eastern North America. 
Local Distribution: Abundant in the vicinity of small streams. 
This is the most abundant of our salamanders, but it 1s not 
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FIG. 138. THE DUSKY SALAMANDER 
From specimen in New York Zodlogical Park 
found except in the immediate vicinity of water. It is common 
in all situations where flat stones, dead leaves or similar objects 
not actually in the water, but in damp or muddy places in the 
beds of pools, offer concealment. When discovered in its lairs it 
runs and wriggles with bewildering agility, often taking to shallow 
water and secreting itself in the mud in order to escape. Accord- 
ing to Cope, the eggs of this species are connected by an albumin- 
ous thread, which contracts and hardens after deposition. One 
of the sexes protects this string of eggs by twisting it about the 
body and remaining in concealment. The exact duration of the 
guard over the progeny is not definitely known. The young 
