REPTILIA. 241 



and RUSCONI Del Proteo anguino di Laurenti, Pavia, 1819, 4to. Constant 

 local varieties occur in the different districts where this animal is found 

 (or, as some think, different species), which are characterised by the form 

 of the head and of the gills, and by the proportions of the body. See FITZIN- 

 GEB Ueber den Proteus anguinus der Autoren, Sitzungsberichte der math, 

 naturw. Classe der Tcaiserl. Akademie der Wissensch. October, 1850. The 

 most distinct of these is Hypochthon xantkostictus FITZ., of a dull purple 

 colour, with yellow spots, and with large, widely extended, coarsely divided 

 gills. 



Amphiuma GARDEN, HARLAX, Cuv. Branchiae evanescent. 

 Branchial apertures behind the head persistent. Four feet, didac- 

 tylous or tridactylous. Teeth sharp, subulate in jaws and palate. 



This genus, peculiar to North America, is very similar to the Proteus of 

 Europe, but without permanent gills; though named as early as 1773 by 

 Dr. GARDEN of Charleston., in his correspondence with ELLIS, it was 

 first made generally known by the descriptions of the North-American 

 zoologist HARLAN, Annals of the Lyceum of Neic York, I. p. -269, and espe- 

 cially by those of CUVIER, Mem. du Mus. xiv. 1827, pp. i 14, PI. i. u. 

 According to TSCHUDI, Amphiuma, means Cuv. (with two fingers) is not 

 specifically different from Amphiuma tridaetylum Cuv. Comp. also a fig. 

 of Amphiuma tridactylum in Cuv. R. Ani., ed. ill., Reptiles, PI. 41, fig. i. 



Phalanx II. Cordulina. Body depressed, with four short legs. 

 Skin in adults often rugose, warty. Habit of salamanders. 



MenobrancJius HARLAX, Netturus RAFIX., FITZ. Branchiae 

 persistent, broad, with short fringes, adhering to a depressed petiole. 

 All the feet tetradactylous. Eyes small. 



Sp. Menobranchus lateralis HARLAN, Proteus tetradactylus LAC., Ann. du 

 Mus. x. 1807, pp. 230 233, PI. 17, HARLAN Ann. of the Lyceum of New 

 York, I. PL 16; HOLBROOK, North, American Herpetology, Vol. in. Phila- 

 delphia, 1838, PI. 30; GUKRIN, Iconogr., Rept., PI. 29, fig. 4, Cuv. R. Ani., 

 ed. ill., Rept., PI. 41, fig. 2; North America, in lake Erie, the rivers Alle- 

 ghany and Ohio. This animal appears to attain a length of 2'. One or 

 two other species of this genus have been discovered in North America. 



Cryptobranchus LEUCK., FlTZ., nob. Menopoma HARL., Sala- 

 mandrops WAGL., (add Megalobatrachus TSCHUDI, Sieboldia Bo- 

 NAP.). Branchiae evanescent. Head depressed, broad. Teeth in 

 jaws and palate cylindrical, with apex subulate, in rows, crowded; 

 palatine teeth arranged in a parallel row near the maxillary. An- 

 terior feet tetradactylous, posterior pentadactylous. Skin plicate, 

 undulate, loose at the sides of body. 



Sp. Cryptobranchus Alleghaniensis nob., Salamandra gigantea BARTON, Cuv. 

 R. Ani., ed. ill., Rept., PI. 41 bis. fig. i, BARTON Memoir concerning an 

 TOL. II. 16 



