870 Prof. J. van der Hoeven on the Genus Menobranchus 
A figure much more characteristic than that of Lacépéde has 
been given by the naturalist Harlan, in the first volume of the 
‘Annals of the New York Lyceum?’ already cited (pl. 16, Me- 
nobranchus lateralis*). 
Fitzinger, without adding anything to our knowledge of the 
genus, gave it the new name of Phanerobranchus instead of 
Menobranchus. 
There can be no doubt that the first impression made by a 
comparison of the Menobranchus with the Hell-bender is that 
the two animals have a very great resemblance, and that it is 
almost solely by the presence of the branchial tufts and the 
tetradactyle hind feet that the Menobranchus is distinguishable 
from the Cryptobranchus of the Alleghanies or from that of 
Japan. Without having the enormous bulk of these two reptiles, 
the Menobranchus is yet a very large species as compared with 
the Tritons and Salamanders, and attains the length of fourteen 
inches. 
If we except the character of the branchial tufts and the lateral 
fissures on the neck, we may arrange all these doubtful reptiles 
in two groups,—one of which, by its elongated and cylindrical 
form, approaches the Siren; the other, by its more depressed 
and much shorter body, more nearly resembles the Salamander. 
It was this method that I adopted in my Manual. The “Angui- 
form” subdivision contains the genera Siren, Hypochthoa (or 
Proteus), and Amphiuma; while that of the Cordylini{ embraces 
the genera Menobranchus, Cryptobranchus, and Siredon (Axolotl). 
However, as the result of my subsequent examination of Meno- 
omnes, absque unguiculis. Ani rima in longitudinem patet. Branchize 
utrinque tern extus propendent, apposite superne totidem arcubus car- 
tilagineis, quorum latus internum tubercula cartilagiea, veluti m piscium 
genere, exasperant. Branchialis apertura gemina utrinque adest tantum ; 
infimus enim et supremus arcus branchiarum cuti adnatus est.” (Historia 
Amphibiorum naturalis et litterariz Fasciculus primus, Jenz 1799, 8vo, 
pp. 50-51.) Cuvier was acquainted with this description, and speaks of it 
in connexion with the Axolotl, to which he seemed rather inclined to apply 
it, supposing that some error had arisen as to the number of the toes. It 
is astonishing that, although attached to the same establishment, and 
residing in the Jardin des Plantes, Cuvier was ignorant of the existence of 
the animal which Lacépéde described almost about the same time. 
* Copied in Griffith’s ‘ Animal Kingdom,’ Rept. p. 476. 
+ Lacépéde’s specimen was only 150 millimétres; but the smallest of 
the two which I have received measures more than double that, and the 
other one 362 millims. The best figure of this great Batrachian which I 
am acquainted with is that published last year by Prince Maximilian of 
Neuwied in the ‘ Nova Acta Acad. Cesar. Leopoldino-Caroline,’ tom. xxx. 
1. tabs. 
+ “We may apply to the larve: of the Salamanders the name of ‘ cor- 
dyles,’ which, according to M. Schneider’s remark, they bore among the 
Greeks.” (Cuv. Rech. sur les Rept. dout. p. 93.) 
