t8o ■ GENERAL BIOLOGY 



or found by overturning logs, etc., in the woods. It is of 

 elongate form (fig. no), with a moist scaleless skin, short 

 legs, that are used more for propulsion than for support, and 

 with a stout laterally flattened tail. It is of greenish-black 

 color, ornamented with irregular and variable yellow spots. 

 Its appearance excites the fears of some superstitious and 

 ignorant people, but it is quite harmless and inoffensive. 



Specimens are easiest obtained by taking advantage of 

 their mishaps. They migrate from the fields and woods 

 back toward their native ponds in late fall and early spring, 

 and fall into any hole that lies in their path. In crawling 



Fig. 110. The spotted salamander, Ambystoma tigrinum. 



about the foundations of buildings they get into basements; 

 the walled semicircular pits surrounding old-fashioned base- 

 ment windows capture many of them. They will fall into 

 any hole that offers, but can crawl out again if the sides be 

 not rather smooth and vertical. Any low barrier interposed 

 between a pond and adjacent hills, such as a long curbing or 

 a railroad track if the rail rest continuously on the ground, 

 will detain them temporarily, where they can be picked up 

 with the aid of a lantern at night. They are easily kept in 

 any cool moist place and need no food in winter. 



If a living salamander be examined some of the characters 

 of back boned animals will be readily apparent. First of all, 

 the axis of support (fig. in, spinal column composed of 

 vertebrae) is located in the body wall upon the dorsal side 



