314 VERTEBRATES: BATRACHIANS. 



approaching the water only at the season in which 

 they lay their eggs. Some are terrestrial throughout 

 life, laying their eggs under stones and old logs in 

 damp places. The Tritons have the tail compressed, and 

 are entirely aquatic ; yet, as they respire by means of 

 lungs, they come to the surface of the water from time to 

 time for atmospheric air. They have the most wonderful 

 power to reproduce mutilated or lost parts. The limbs 

 may be removed, and in less than a year they will grow 

 again ; and the new-formed limbs may in turn be ampu- 

 tated, and will in turn be replaced by others. Even the 

 eye, when destroyed, is said in time to be reproduced. 



The Genus Pseudotriton contains the Red Salamander, 

 P. ruber, Tsch., of the Atlantic States, which is less than 

 five inches long, red, with numerous small, black points 

 above ; and Spelerpes, the Long-tailed Salamander, 5. lon- 

 gicauda, Baird, of the Northern United States, which is less 

 than six inches long, lemon-colored, marked with small 

 spots of black. The tail is more than twice the length of 

 the body, and marked with transverse black bands. 

 The Genus Amblystoma contains A. punctatum, Baird, 

 Fig. 168. of the Northern States 



and southward, which 

 is five and three quar- 

 ters inches long, blu- 

 ish black above, with 



Salamander, A . punctatum, Baird. a row Q f y e H W SpOtS 



on each side ; below bluish black. 



The Genus Plethodon contains the Red-backed Sala- 

 mander, P. erythronotus, Baird, of the Northeastern and 

 Middle States, which is less than three inches long, with 

 a broad vertebral band of reddish-brown. It inhabits 

 decayed trees and other damp places, and lays its eggs, in 

 bunches of about a dozen, in moist, decaying wood ; and 

 though the young never go into the water, they are still 



