ORDER BATRACHIA. 469 



The head of the femur is oval : at the internal face of the 

 neck of this bone, is a pointed process, in place of the tro- 

 chanter. Its tibial extremity is wide and flatted. On the 

 whole, it diifers but little from the humerus. The tibia, very 

 thick above, has a slender stem, tolerably long, and descends 

 lower than the fibula, which is equally thick. There are 

 nine bones in the tarsus, and five pieces in the metatarsus. 



The muscles of the salamander have been described with 

 peculiar care by Dr. Funk ; but, to enter into any detailed 

 myology of this reptile in this place, would be totally beside 

 our purpose. 



The brain of the salamander is so small, that it does not 

 equal the spinal marrow in diameter. This last is composed 

 of two nervous cords^ enveloped in a tight membrane, and 

 from which the spinal nerves spring out by roots, a little 

 more voluminous. The ganglionic nervous system is not 

 very accurately known. 



The globe of the eye is pisciform. It is fixed in the orbit 

 by the optic nerve, and a peculiar muscle. The skin so com- 

 pletely covers it, that the cornea alone is visible. This, 

 according to the expression of Wurfi'bain, gives to the animal 

 mirum torvum et ohtusum vulhim. 



There is neither lachrymal gland, nor vice lachrymales. 

 The sclerotica is irregular, and unequal in its thickness. The 

 cornea is very transparent. The chorioid is black. The 

 ciliary ligament is small and narrow. The iris and pupil 

 exhibit no remarkable peculiarity. The chrystallina is large 

 and compressed, and has a hard and spherical nucleus for its 

 centre, as in fishes. 



The organ of touch does not appear to possess any great 

 delicacy. That of smell, on the contrary, is greatly deve- 

 loped. The olfactory nerves are spread in a mucous, grey, 

 vascular membrane, which lines the conical nostrils. 



The tongue of the salamander is short and thick. It is 



