AMPHIBIA. 



AMPHIBIA. 



the animal out, which ho describes u a kind of mull lizard, plunged 

 it into spirit of win*, and g*ve it to Buflbn. ThU appear* to be very 

 circumstantial, and M. Pothonier, whose head wu evidently filled with 

 preconceived opinion*, may be acquitted of any intention to deceive. 



That the akin of an animal which could resist the action of fire 

 ahould be considered proof against that element U not to be wondered 

 at. We accordingly Bad that a cloth said to be made of the skins of 

 salamanders was incombustible, as is noticed by Marco Polo, who 

 howerer was shrewd enough to observe that these fire-proof cloths 

 were really made of a mineral substance (asbestos, no doubt, which 

 the old writers termed Salamander's Wool). Such most probably was 

 the Salamander-Cloth sent by the Tartar king to the Roman pontiff, 

 in which the Holy Napkin (.SWan'nm .Domini) is preserved. 



Among the other fables may be noticed the belief that the saliva 

 of the Salamander was depilatory having the power to remove hair, 

 and substitute bald places for luxuriant tresses. Martial has an 

 epigram, of which this notion forms the point (lib. ii, ep. Ixvi). 



Its heart, worn as an amulet, was considered to be a prophylactic 

 against fire, and it was used in medicine to eradicate leprosy. 



It could hardly be expected that the alchyuiists would neglect 

 niml of which such wonders were rife ; and we accordingly find 

 that the power of transmuting quicksilver into gold was attributed to 

 them. To this end the wretched reptiles were placed in a vessel on 

 the coals, and quicksilver introduced through an iron tube was poured 

 upon them. This experiment was supposed to be accompanied with 

 danger to the life of the operator. Those who would further dwell 

 on the legends connected with this subject may consult Funk's work, 

 ' De Salamandra Terrestris Vita, Evolutione, et Formations' 



In the catalogue of the specimens of Anijihitiia in the British 

 Museum the following arrangement is adopted. The catalogue of 

 the first suborder, the Anouruiu Amphibia, is not yet published 

 (June, 1853). 



Order I. BATRACHIA. 



Suborder I. SALIENTI A (including the Frogs and Toads). 

 (Arrangement not yet published.) 



Suborder IL GKADIENTIA. 

 Fam. I. 



maculua 



PleurodeU* Waltl . 

 Triton Poirttii . 

 criitattu 

 marmoratut 

 alpatrt* 

 KutopUHalmtu miniatu* 



riridacent 



Euproctut platycephalut 

 Cynopi pyrrhogatter 

 Taricha torota . 



lugubru . .. 

 Sradybala vrntriconu 

 1. gpMMM pWMMW 

 palmatui 

 Ommatotriton riltaliu 

 Seiranota penpiciUata 



Locality. 

 Europe. 



tt 



tj 



North Africa, 

 Europe. 



tt 



tt 

 North America, East Coast 



it tt 



Corsica and Sardinia. 

 Japan. 

 California. 

 North America. 

 Spain. 

 Europe. 



Jfynobiiu nebulotu* 

 Molge itriata 



. Syria. 

 . . Europe. 



Earn. II. MOLQIDJL 

 . Japan. 



Onychodactylut Japmticm 

 Jfettrotriton ingent 

 Xipkonura Jcftrttmiana 

 Ambyttoma Carolina 

 ti'jrinun 



talpoidtmm 



opacum 



panclnlalum 



mafrodadylum 



mavorliiun 



epiteoptu 



Fam. III. PLETHODOHTIB* 



'taldemani (?) . 

 frontaU (?) . 

 Pltthodon ylulinuium 

 gnunJatitm 

 Dttmogaathui niger 



futciu . 



,, nitriculatut 



Hrmiilnrl al urn iruiatum 

 Batrackotepi allenuaitu . 



quadridiyitatu* 



BftUrpa lonyicaudii 



Japan. 



Korth America, East Coast 



\\Vst (',,;(. 



K:,M COMt 



\\'.-t OoMt 



i:.i-t OoMt 



SpeUrpa cirriyrra 

 bilineata . 

 gutto-iineata 

 rubrt 



talmonea . 

 porphyritica 



l/eat rilon ftuou 

 (t.'difi<a rarirgaltu 

 Eiualina EtcktckolU* 

 Axololl . 



maculata 



North America, East Coast. 



Mexico. 



Italy. 



North America, West Coast 



it i 



Mexico. 



Order II. PSEUDOSAURIA. 



Fam. I. PROTOSOPBIDJL 

 RitbolJia maxima .... Japan. 

 Prutanuptu horrida . . . . North America, East Coast. 



AMI-HICMIOJL 

 . . North America, East Coast. 



Fam. II 



Ami>hiuma meant 

 Muntnuptu tridactyla . 



Order III. PSEUDOPHIUIA. 



Fam. I. CJKILUDX. 



Ctrcilia gracilit .... Tropical America. 

 tentaculata . . 



compruticauda . . 



ruitrala ... 



ofyura .... Malabar. 

 itjualottoma . . West Africa. 



Siphonopi intarupta . . . Tropical America. 



Mtxicana . . 



JctAyophu gluiinottu . . . Ceylon. 

 Skimatrema biritlalum . . Tropical America. 



Order IV. 

 Fam. L 



iepidotirtn paradoxa 

 Pmtopterut annectau 

 rhinocryptit 



PSEUDOICTHYAS. 

 LEPIDOSIRENID& 



. . Tropical America. 

 . West Africa. 



Order V. 

 Fam. I. 



Proteut anffuintu . 

 Nectuna mocw/onu 

 lateralii . 



Fam. 



Siren Lactrtina . 

 intermedia 

 Pteudobranchiu ttriatiu 



MJ5ANTIA. 

 PBOTKIDA 



. Europe. 

 . . North America, East Coast 



" ft 



SlBEXIDJC. 

 . . Carolina. 



. Texas. 

 . . North America, East Coast 



FOSSIL AMPHIBIA. 



FosM Anourota Amphibia. Fossil Frogs have been found in the 

 Coal-formation of the Khiiie (Papier-Kohl) in company with the fishes 

 Ltucitcut macrurui and L. papyractta. Two species have been 

 described, and there are many examples in the museum at Bonn. 

 Ill this country specimens are to be found in the collections of the 

 Earl of Euuixkillttu and Sir Philip Egerton, Bart 



Pflaophryrua Gtimeri. (Tucljudi.) 



Fouil Toad*. Here may be noticed the fossil specimens from the 

 (Euiugeu Beds livmliinator (Eningtntii, Agaas. (Pelophilm Agauizii, 



