Hwrter — A Contribution to the Herpetology of Missouri. 503 



Missouri, but it reaches its most northern recorded limit at 

 Cliff Cave, only eleven miles south of the city of St. Louis, 

 where we have collected so far two specimens. As soon as 

 we come to Jefferson County, they become more plentiful. 

 The species belongs to the Austroriparian region. Bascanium 

 flagellum Shaw, the Coach Whip Snake, has only of late 

 years been recorded from the State. The late Professor E. 

 D. Cope, when he visited St. Louis three years ago and ex- 

 amined my collection, told me that he had found this snake in 

 Stone County, Southwestern Missouri, but since that time we 

 have been fortunate enough to capture some old as well as 

 young specimens in the neighborhood of Pevely, Jefferson 

 County. They are considered by no means common, and 

 are very swift. I have also received one specimen from Mr. 

 O. Funke, from near Rolla, Phelps County. 



In conclusion I wish to mention two other batrachians. 

 One is a little toad peculiar to America, Engystoma caro- 

 linense Holbrook. This toad is very common in the Southern 

 States. Dr. Kennicott sent some that he caught in New 

 Madrid County, Mo., to the National Museum. I have found 

 some specimens in Butler County, and three at Cliff Cave, St. 

 Louis County, which is, to all appearance, the most northern 

 locality of this subtropical species. These toads are found 

 under rocks, sometimes on the top of the bluffs. They are 

 very hard to see, as they are partly hidden in the ground and 

 also protected by their color. 



Our last specimen is the so-called Hellbender or Mud 

 Devil {Cryptohranchus alleghaniensis Daudin). This is 

 one of the largest of salamanders, and next in size to 

 the Giant Salamander of Japan. It lives in creeks fed by 

 spring water, and those that I have, come from a place called 

 Boiling Spring, near Arlington, Phelps County, Mo. They 

 are often caught by fishermen on the hook baited with 

 minnows, and are sluggish animals but very voracious. 



Issued December 31, 1897. 



