LIZARDS AND SALAMANDERS OF CANADA. 49 



jeffersoninnum. In Canada all the forms would seem to arrange 

 themselves under three subspecies, laterale, fuscum, and platineum, 

 the first being the dominant one, but Hallowell's/itscMm is not 

 allowed even as a variety by some distinguished herpetologists. 



As far as my studies go, and they have not been inconsider- 

 al)le in this field, laterale is the most common type; specimens 

 approaching platineum are less common, but DeKay's granulata 

 seems also to occur, if it be not the ty lAcal jeffeisonianum. Large 

 specimens appear to blend the alleged specific characters of the 

 last two, and hence I conclude that three varieties are heie 

 represented, the degree of their occurrence being in the order of 

 their names. But what is to be said of the perplexing mingling 

 of characters in numerous individuals, forming almost imper- 

 ceptible links between the three extremes? It is clear that the 

 form is protean to a large extent, but are the extremes of 

 variation entitled to subspecific rank? If limited respectively 

 to geographical ureas and overlapping only on the borders such 

 rank could be fairly claimed; but as one district appears to 

 exhibit a comminorlincj of all the torms with numerous inter- 

 mediate links the question assumes more and more that of 

 individualism. 



Additional data: Ontario (Drs. Beadle and Garnier). Smith- 

 sonian Collection. 



A. j. laterale H.-illowell. 



A form very common throughout the Maritiitie Provinces and 

 the Gaspe Peninsula, and extending west as far as Hudson Bay. 

 Additional data: Ontario (Macoun). 



A. j platineum C )])v. 



I have retained this doubtful subsi)ecies for reasons already 

 given, and on the authority of Dr. Cope, who identified one 

 collected on the shore of Hudson Bay. Vide Smithsonian 

 Collection No. 5368. 



A. Macrodactylum Baird. 

 This salamander has some features linking it to the last. 



