392 MANUAL OF ZOOLOGY. 



parietes, giving rise to the " labyrinthine " pattern, from which 

 the name of the order is derived. 



The Labyrinthodonts are known to occur from the Carboni- 

 ferous to the Triassic or Liassic period inclusively ; but they 

 are most characteristically and distinctively Triassic. 



DISTRIBUTION OF AMPHIBIA IN TIME. From a geological 

 point of view by far the most important of the Amphibia are 

 the Labyrinthodontia, the distribution of which has just been 

 spoken of. The living orders of Amphibia are of much more 

 modern date, being, as far as known, wholly Tertiary and 

 Post-tertiary. The Anoura are represented by both Toads 

 and Frogs in Miocene times, and they have survived to the 

 present day. The " Tailed " Amphibians are best known to 

 geologists by a singular fossil, which was described by its ori- 

 ginal discoverer as human, under the name of Homo diluvii 

 testis. The fossil in question is of Miocene age, and it is now 

 known to belong to a Salamander, nearly allied to the giant- 

 salamander of Java (Menopomd], It is termed the Andrias 

 Sheuchzeri. 



