152 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



selves. The Common Newt is also exhibited. This animal is 

 alleged to secrete a poisonous fluid in the pores of the skin. The- 

 oretically, its bright colors have been described as " warning 

 hues," to protect it against the ravages of water-snakes and fishes. 

 The theory does not altogether hold good. Many of the snakes 

 exhibited in the Reptile House have been fed upon newts when 

 frogs were scarce. However, the European newts (Triton) come 

 more within the line of argument. They have a rougher skin. 



HELLBENDER, CRYPTOBRANCHUS ALLEGHENIENSIS. 

 A permanently aquatic species. 



Studded with minute, wart-like points. When handled their skin 

 exudes a peculiar odor. Few snakes will eat them, and the larger 

 frogs, that swallow every small moving object in their vicinity, 

 usually die after making a meal of one of these creatures. 



THE ECAUDATA, OR TAILLESS AMPHIBIANS. 



It does not appear to be generally known that the males of most 

 of the true frogs (Raiia) may be at once distinguished from the 

 females by the much larger ear-drum {tympanum), which appears 

 as a round, exposed disc on each side of the head. 



Between the North American frogs (Ranidce) and the toads 

 (Bufonidce) there exists a wide degree of difference in the time 

 of transformation from the tadpole to the perfect animal. The 

 semiaquatic frogs, like the Bull Frog (R. catesbiana) and the 



