FISH-LIKE SALAMANDERS. 



3°5 



In these streams it crawls or swims in a sluggish manner, seldom leaving the water, 

 although it can exist on land for twenty-four hours or so at a stretch, feeding 

 on crustaceans, worms, and fish, and being not unfrequently taken on the angler's 

 hook. From the circumstance that the tadpoles have never been observed, it 

 would seem that the larval stage must be of very short duration ; and the only 

 thing known about the development of the species is that the eggs are of relatively 

 large size. Although perfectly innocuous, the hell-bender is regarded by American 

 fishermen as a most noxious and poisonous reptile. It was first brought alive to 

 Europe in 1869, since which date it has been frequently exhibited ; and if fed on 

 meat or the heads of fish will rapidly increase in size, although it appears 

 to voluntarily undergo long fasts. While in the water it has been observed to 



^ hA 



HELL-BENDEK, OR MISSISSIPPI SALAMANDER (J nat. size). 



make the air from its lungs pass over the gills, with the apparent object of more 

 fully oxygenating the blood in the latter. 



Three-Toed The eel -like or three -toed salamander (Amphiuma means) 



salamander, represents another North American genus, ranging from the Mississippi 

 to South Carolina, and distinguished by its extremely elongated and eel-like form, 

 and the small size of the limbs, each of which terminates in three or two minute 

 toes. The tongue is indistinctly defined, covering the whole of the floor of the mouth, 

 to which it is everywhere adherent ; there is a gill-aperture on each side of the neck, 

 and four internal gill-arches are present. The head is relatively small, with a rather 

 long and narrowing muzzle, at the extremity of which are the small and widely- 

 separated nostrils ; the eyes are likewise minute ; the lips are unusually thick and 

 fleshy ; and the short compressed tail is keeled superiorly. The smooth and slimy 



VOL. V. — 20 



