Dr. J. E. Gray on the Salamanders. 299 



** Lateral line of pores on loiver part of side between axilla 

 and groin. 



2. Triton. 



Granular. Tail compressed. Back of male crested. Toes free, 

 simple. 



1. Triton cristatus. B.M. 



Hemisalamandra cristata, skull, Duges, /. c. t. 1. f. 12, 13 (Erp. 

 Gen. ix. t. 102. f. 2, 3, not sufficiently broad for our specimens). 

 Triton marmoratus, Bibron, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1838, 23 (not Latr.). 

 Ti'iton cristatus & 2\ Bibronii, Bell, Brit. Rept. pp. 129, 131, figs. 



Pupil small, circular. Tail with a broad pale-bluish longitudinal 

 streak rather below the centre. 



M. Bibron, when in London, on observing a specimen of the 

 Warty Newt with straight lips, in the Collection of the Zoological 

 Society, named it Triton marmoratus, probably thinking that it was 

 Triton marmoratus of Latreille, a species of the South of Europe. 



Mr. Bell, in his work on British Reptiles, figures the specimen, 

 and gives it the name of Triton Bibronii (pp. 129 & 131, figs.), ob- 

 serving, " it is the same as Tr. cristatus, excepting that the upper 

 lip is perfectly straight." 



After examining various specimens in different states, I am con- 

 vinced that the form of the lip depends on the season, the male in 

 the breeding-season having the most overlapping lip. 



The same change in the form of the lip in the different seasons is 

 to be observed in Lissotriton ijunctatus. 



Mr. J.Higginbottom observes : " The two species oi Triton (found 

 in the Midland Counties) present such varied appearances during 

 the three years of their slow^ but progressive growth, and during the 

 changes they experience preparatory to their return from being in- 

 habitants of the land, breathing atmospheric air, active in the sum- 

 mer and hibernant in the winter, to being denizens of the water, 

 reproducing their kind in the mouths of March, April, May, June and 

 July, that I think they have been regarded by naturalists as present- 

 ing too great a number of distinct species." — Ann. ^- Mag. N. II. 

 1853, xii. 370. 



The skulls and skeletons of all the genera of Molgidce, Pletho- 

 dontidce, Protonopsidce and Amphimnidce I have been able to exa- 

 mine, or which are figured in any works that have occurred to me, 

 resemble those of the family Salamandridce. 



Considering the very important characters which the examination 

 of the skulls has shown them to possess for the distinction of the 

 European and Japanese species, it is very desirable that the American 

 species should be carefully examined for the same purpose. Up to this 

 time even the description of the palatine teeth of the American spe- 

 cies is involved in great uncertainty, the descriptions of Harlan, 

 Holbrook and Baird being often at issue on this important point. 

 It is but just to observe, that when I have had the opportunity of 



