20 HERPETOLOGY OE^ MICHIGAN. 



manentlj preserved should be properly killed and ])iit nj) iu a pre- 

 serving fluid, for a poorly preserved speeiiiieii is usually Avorse than 

 none. The best method of killing is to drown the animals. This 

 can easily be done b}' placing them in small cheesecloth bags and 

 immersing them in water so that no air can reach them. The air 

 should be excluded from the bag b}' gently kneading it in the hands 

 while under water. The amphibians will drown within twelve 

 hours. 



After killing, the specimens should be placed in 4% formalin for 

 at least a week to harden. The formalin must be allowed to enter 

 the body cavity or otherwise the internal organs will decompose be- 

 fore the preservative can penetrate to them. This is best accom- 

 plished by injecting the formalin into the body cavity, by means of 

 a hypodermic syringe, but if this is not convenient, the abdomen 

 may be slit open with a pair of scissors. When thoroughly hard- 

 ened, the specimens should be transferred to from 55% to G0% alco- 

 hol for permanent storage. It is important that the alcohol be of 

 this strength, for stronger solutions will shrivel them and weaker 

 will not properly preserve them. Each, specimen should be pro- 

 vided with a tag tied rather loosely about the body just in front of 

 the hind legs. This label should give the locality', date, name of col- 

 lector and habitat unless a catalog is kept, in Avhich case a number 

 may be placed on the label and in the notebook with the habitat 

 data. 



DESCRirTIOX OF SPECIES. 



KEY TO MICHIGAN AMPHIBIA. 



a\ Tailed throughout life. Caudata. 



b^ External gills persistent in adult. Proteiclae. 



c^ Body lizard-like. Limbs four, equally devel- 

 oped. External gills. Color brown, spotted 



Avith black. Four toes on each foot 



yecturus maciilosus, p. 23. 



b-. Adult without external gills. Limbs well developed. 

 Eyelids present. Mutahilia. 



c^. No parasphenoid teeth ; vomero-palatine teeth 

 in parallel or posteriorly diverging series 

 that do not extend posteriorly over the 

 parasphenoid. Body lizard-like. Costal 

 grooves distinct. Tail compressed. Amhjj- 

 stomidae. 



