BACKBONED ANIMALS. 



inent tail. The gigantic Japanese salamander, over three 

 feet in length, belongs to this order ; they are incorrectly 

 supposed to pass through fire 

 without harm. The largest sala- 

 mander in the United States is 

 the Amblystoma (Fig. 241). The 

 history of Amblystoma mavortium 

 is extremely remarkable. The 

 young for a long time were con- 

 sidered separate and distinct ani- 

 mals. They lived in the elevated 

 lakes, 8,000 to 9,000 feet above 

 the sea, from Montana to Mexico, 

 ,., r and were well known as axolotls, 



FIG. 240. Congo snake 



means). having external gills and true 



FIG. 241. Axolotl, a creature living and breeding for generations in the 

 water. Amblystoma coming out of the water an axolotl which has iost 

 its gills and breathes by lungs alone. 



