URODELA: SALAMANDRIM:. 313 



pools to lay its eggs, its prolonged trill is heard day and 

 night. 



B. obstetricans, Laur., of Europe, is remarkable for 

 the habit the male has of fastening the eggs, when pro- 

 duced by the female, to his thighs, by means of some 

 glutinous threads, and carrying them about until near 

 the time of hatching, when he seeks a pool and the young 

 escape from the eggs. 



The Genus Scaphiophus contains the Toad-frog, S. soli- 

 taritts, Holbr., from New England to Georgia, which is 

 two and a quarter hiches long, olive above, with two yel- 

 low lines extending from the eyes to the hind extremity ; 

 yellowish white below. The eyes are very large and 

 prominent, pupil black, iris golden, and subdivided into 

 four parts by two black lines. This singular animal com- 

 bines to some extent the characteristics of both frog and 

 toad. 



SUB-SECTION II. 



THE ORDER OF URODELA, OR TAILED BATRACHIANS. 



THE Order of Urodela comprises batrachians which 

 have a tail at all periods of life, and generally four feet. 

 The body is long, round, and covered with skin adherent 

 to the muscles. It comprises Salamandridae or Salaman- 

 der Family, Amphiumidae or Amphiuma Family, and Si- 

 renidae or Siren Family. 



SALAMANDRID.E, OR SALAMANDER FAMILY. This Fam- 

 ily comprises Salamanders proper and the Tritons. Its 

 representatives are numerous. More than twenty species 

 are found in the United States, from two and a half to 

 twelve inches long. They have no sternum, ribs rudimen- 

 tary, legs four, fingers four, and toes five in most genera ; 

 and, contrary to what is seen in frogs and toads, the 

 fore feet are developed before the hind ones. In their 

 adult state, most Salamanders proper live upon the land, 

 14 



