SALAMANDER. 277 



These animals appear to form an exception to the universality 

 of metamorphosis in the class. They habitually reside in the 

 water, but are exclusively air-breathers, no gills having been 

 observed at any stage of their life, though there is an orifice on 

 each side of the neck. The eyes are small, and the bones of the 

 spine present, both in front and rear, that concavity which marks, 

 the vertebrce of fishes. To this Order belong 



The Amphiumas, called by the negroes, who erroneously believe them 

 to be exceedingly venomous, " Congo Snakes" They live in muddy waters 

 or in mud, being sometimes found three feet deep in mud of the consistence 

 of mortar, into which they burrow like an earthworm. They inhabit the 

 ditches of rice-fields, and feed on small fish and fresh-water mussels, beetles, 

 and other insects. Sometimes they are found on dry land. They pass the 

 winter season in the mud, collecting together at that time in great numbers, 

 and remain in torpidity till the spring. 



The Gigantic Salamander (Sieboldia maxima} was discovered by the cele- 

 brated naturalist Von Siebold, in Japan. It is a hideous-looking animal, with four 

 toes on the front and five on the hind feet. 



FIG. 297. GIGANTIC SALAMANDER. 



Another species met with in the fresh waters of North America has received 

 from our Anglo-American brethren the pretty names of 



The "Hell-Bender," the "Mud-devil" and many others equally expressive of 

 esteem and regard. 



AMPHIBIA WITH PERMANENT GILLS. 

 PERENNIBRANCIIIATA. 



This family is composed of animals that always preserve their 

 branchiae, and resemble in their structure the tadpoles of newts. 

 Indeed, they were at first regarded as being the young of some 

 large species of Triton ; but there is now no doubt of their being 

 perfect animals, and what is very remarkable, possessing as they 

 do well-developed branchia, they have also lungs, and are conse- 

 quently completely amphibious. Their body terminates in a long 



