SALAMANDERS 



151 



"One specimen, about 18 inches in length, which had 

 lain on the ground exposed to a summer sun for forty -eight 

 hours, was brought to the museum, and left lying a day 

 longer before it was placed in alcohol. The day following, 

 desiring to note a few points of structure, I removed it from 

 the alcohol in which it had been completely submerged for at 



MENOPOMA, OR HELLBENDER. 



least twenty hours, and had no sooner placed it on the table 

 than it began to open its big mouth, vigorously sway its tail 

 to and fro, and give other undoubted signs of vitality." 



The Giant Salamander, 1 of Japan, is a brother species 

 to the hellbender, but is very much larger. It is the largest 

 of all the amphibians, and sometimes attains a length of 3 

 feet. Specimens may always be seen in the Reptile House 

 of the Zoological Park. 



1 Cryp-to-bran' chus max'i-mus. 



