ORDER BATRACHIA. 409 



Tlie Punctated Salamander , (^S. Punctata. Lat.) 



Skin smooth ; clear brown above ; underneath, pale 

 or red ; some black and round spots throughout. 

 Some black stripes on the head. The crest of the 

 male festooned. Its toes a little enlarged, but not 

 palmated. 



TTie Palmipede Salamander^ {Sal. Palmata, Latr.) 



Back brown ; upper part of the head verniculated 

 with brown and blackish ; sides more clear, with 

 round blackish spots ; belly without spots. The 

 male has three small crests on the back ; the toes 

 dilated and united by membranes ; the tail termi- 

 nates by a small thread.* 



North America also possesses many aquatic sala- 

 manders. | 



Among the schists of CEningen, are found skele- 

 tons of a salamander three feet in length. One 

 of them is the pretended fossil man of Scheuzer. 



At the end of the salamanders come to be ranged 

 many similar animals, some of which are considered 



♦ This characterization of European species, is that which has appeared 

 to me the most conformable to nature ; but it would be very difficult for 

 me to refer to it exactly the synonimy of authors, so little do I find their 

 descriptions and figures in accord with the objects which I have under 

 my inspection. 



-j- Sal. Symmetrica, Harl. which appears to me already represented in the 

 Lacep. of Bechstein, II. pi. 18, f. 2, under the name of Sal. Punctata; and 

 many species whose descriptions I have not been able to recognize, and 

 which well deserve a monograph, accompanied by good figures. 



