V SALAMANDRIDAE AMBLYSTOMATINAE 109 



20 to 25 extremely rapid vibrations, with periods between each 

 two series. 



Subfam. 3. Amblystomatinae. — Composed of seven closely 

 allied genera, the distinguishing characters of which are the 

 grouping of the palatal teeth and the number of the toes, 

 which varies between 4 and 5. The geographical range of the 

 subfamily extends over the whole of North America and 

 Mexico and over the whole of Northern Asia, from Kamtchatka 

 and Japan westwards to the Ural, and southwards into China. 

 The occurrence of one si^eeies, Amhl'i/stoma 2)ersimile, in the moun- 

 tains of Siam, makes it highly probable that other species and 

 genera exist in the hitherto unexplored intervening countries. 



Boulenger gives the following synopsis : — 



I. The series of palatal teeth converge backwards, forming a V-shaped 

 figure. 

 With 5 toes : Hynobius, 3 species in Japan. 

 With 4 toes : Salamandrella, 2 species Lake Baikal, Ussuri and 

 Schilka rivers, and Kamtchatka, p. 109. 

 II. The series of palatal teeth form an iminterrupted, doubly arched 

 V-shaj)ed figure. 

 The 4 fingers and 5 toes are furnished with Ijlack, horiiy claws : 

 Onychodactylus jafonicus. 

 III. The series of palatal teeth form two arches, convex forwards, separated 

 by a wide interspace. 

 The two series are short, confined to the space between the 

 choanae. 



With 5 toes : Ranidens sibiricus, Eastern Siberia and N.E. 



China. 

 With 4 toes : Batrachyperus sinensis, Moupin in China. 

 The series are long and converge backwards, 5 toes : Dicamp- 

 todon ensatus, California. 

 IV. The palatal teeth are arranged in a nearly straight, transverse line, 

 or they form an angle which points slightly forwards ; they are not 

 separated by a wide median space. With 5 toes : Amblystoma. 

 Some 1 6 species in North and Central America, one in Siam, p. 11 0. 



Salamandrella keyserlingi. — The mode of propagation of this 

 newt-like species has been observed by Shitkow near Jekaterin- 

 burg in the Ural mountains. The eggs were laid at the end 

 of April and were deposited in bags, which were attached to 

 a plant, with one end about an inch below the surface of the 

 water. The bag measured 1 5 cm. in length and 2 cm. in width 

 and contained 50 to 60 eggs. The larvae were hatched in 

 1 4 days in a sunny aquarium ; in another with a northern 



