5H4 AMPHIBIA. 



and in these the male carefully places the eggs which she has 

 deposited. When this has been done, she repairs to the water : 

 the skin of the back now swells ; the pits deepen, and in due 

 time the Tadpoles appear; on the back they pass the Tadpole 

 state, and do not emerge till they have lost their tail and their 

 limbs are developed. The female then returns to the land. 

 <jr This Toad is not unfrequently found in houses. The Pipa is 

 not restricted to Surinam, but is found in various parts of South 

 America. 



TAILED AMPHIBIA. URODELA. (Gr. otgb, oura, a tail; dtyos, 

 deles, manifest.) 



This division is one of peculiar interest to the naturalist, as 

 well from the variety of forms which it includes, as from the 

 successive changes which these forms exhibit. They are charac- 

 terised by their permanent tail, their rudimentary ribs, the pos- 

 session of four or two limbs, the absence of a breast bone, the 

 simple lungs, the teeth in both jaws, and the want of an external 

 ear. These amphibia are widely dispersed over the northern 

 temperate portions of both continents. North America and 

 Japan possess the largest variety of forms. 



FOURTH FAMILY. Salamandrida, (Gr. aala/n&vdga, salamandra, 

 a salamander.) 



NEWTS. 



Of these, some species are terrestrial, visiting the water only 

 in the breeding season ; others make it their permanent or nearly 

 permanent abode. The Tadpoles, or young of the Newts, un- 

 dergo a transformation, essentially resembling that of the Toads 

 and Frogs, with this difference, however, that the tail merely 

 changes its form, and is never lost. In their general appearance, 

 they resemble Lizards. The jaws have minute teeth, and a 

 double row also extends down the palate. 



LAND NEWTS. (Occasionally found in water.) 



The Land Newts, included in the genus Salamandra, have the 

 tail, when the animals are adult, round and tapering; on each 

 side of the head is a gland, similar to that of Toads ; the tongue 

 is short and thick, enlarged above, and attached by a slender 

 root in the center. The breathing in the first aquatic or tad- 

 pole state, is by external gills; afterwards atmospheric by lungs. 



These reptiles frequent humid places, and take up their abode 



