NORTH AMERICAN BATRACHIA AND REPTILIA. 



pus cartilaginous; metacarpals five. Head elongate; tail com- 

 pressed. 



Toes four; color uniform ,. Siren. 



Toes three; with longitudinal bands or stri|)es. 



Pseudobranohus. 

 Genus Siren, Linn. 



1. 8. lacertlna^ Linn. Great Siren. Color dusky, approach- 

 ing to black, with numerous white or yellowish spots; abdomen 

 purplish; eleven inches. Austroriparian region, North Carolina, 

 Mexico, and Northeastern Illinois. 



Genus Pseudobranohus, Gray. 



2. P. sfriatas, LeConte. Striped Siren. Color dusky, 

 with a broad yellow or brown stripe on each side; abdomen 

 speckled with brownish white, and with two longitudinal stripes 

 paler than those above; nine inches. Georgia. 



Order PROTEIDA. 



Family PROTEIDA. 



Premaxillse not anchylosed; vomero-palatine teeth; para- 

 sphenoid edentulous; occipital condyles sessile; three persistent 

 branchial arches; tongue large and fleshy, free in front and on 

 sides; eyes small, distinct; eyelids none; vertebra amphicoelian ; 

 carpus and tarsus cartilaginous; metacarpals three; head elongate; 

 trunk short and thick; toes four on each foot. 



Order CADUCIBRANCHIATA. 



Synopsis of Families. 



A. Teeth on anterior or outer margin of palatines. Pre- 

 frontals and pterygoids present; carpus and tarsus cartilaginous; 

 vertebrae amphicoelian. 



a. An axial cranial bone in front of ethmoid, and one 

 forming palatal surface in front of parasphenoid; parie- 

 tals j^rolonged laterally, not reaching prefrontals; 

 premaxillge anchylosed; occipital condyles pedicellate; 

 a single gill-cleft on each side Amphiumid(B. 



h. ISTo anterior axial cranial bone; parietals and prefrontals 

 prolonged, meeting and embracing frontals; premaxil- 

 laries separated ; occipital condyles sessile; gill-clefts 



