COPEIA %ir 



«3 



Conclusions'. It seems apparent from observa- 

 tions covering nearly the entire range of the animal, 

 that Ambystoma opacurn breeds in the fall. Fer- 

 tilization is internal, takes place on land, and there 

 is presumably a copulation. The eggs are separate 

 from each other, and are laid in hollows in the ground 

 excavated by the mother, who remains with the eggs, 

 lying on top of them. The nests are in places such 

 that they will be flooded during the winter. The eggs 

 can stand a long desication and such eggs hatch al- 

 most immediately upon being put into water. The 

 new born larvae have balancers and forelimbs. The 

 larvae transform in the following spring at a length 

 of about 3 inches. 



Emmett R. Dunn, 



Northampton, Mass. 



DIADOPHIS AMABILIS IN MISSOURI. 



Cope recognized four forms of Diadophis ama- 

 bilis distinguished by coloration. The specimen un- 

 der consideration conformed in every way to the 

 variety Diadophis amabilis amabilis. Cope listed his 

 specimens of this variety as collected in California 

 and Louisiana, while he gave the probable distribu- 

 tion of the species as Pacific, Central or Sonoran. 



Ditmars recognizes only one variety, pulchellus, 

 which inhabits Oregon and California. He gives the 

 distribution of Diadophis amabilis as Texas west- 

 ward to the Pacific, northward to Washington, and 

 Sonora, Mexico. 



It is interesting then that this species was found 

 in Macon, Missouri, October 4, 1916, coiled near the 

 roots of some matted grass. It measured 24 centi- 

 meters in length and had the vivid coloration of a 

 young snake. The scales were arranged in 15 rows 

 and superior labials numbered 7. The dark spots on 

 the orange of the ventral surface were irregularly 



