Heptilia and Batrachia of Wisconsi)!. 171 



A. punctatum, L. Large Spotted Salamander. 



Black or nearly so with bright yellow spots arranged along each side on 

 the dorsal furroAv, which is quite distinct; skin wuth numerous pores which 

 are enlarged and arranged in two patches on each side of the head; costal 

 furrows or grooves, 11; L. 6 inches; tail, 2^ inches; southern part of the 

 state; not common. 



A. tigrinum, Green. The Great or Tiger Salamander. 



Everywhere dark with yellow spots which are either round or irregular; 

 costal furrows or grooves, 11; dorsal groove quite distinct; head depressed; 

 L. 7 inches; tail 3 inches; common. 



A. jeffersonianum, Green. The Granulated Salamander. 



Variable; in general brownish or blackish with ashy spots, but " some- 

 times uniform plum" (Jordan); costal furrows 13; the furrows on the tail 

 extending nearly to the tij); L. 3 to 4 inches; tail 1-3 in. ; Walworth county; 

 rare. Dr. Hoy reports them from Racine. I have reason to believe that 

 they may also be found in the extreme northern part of the state. 



NOTOPHTHALMUS, Raf. 



N. viridescens, Raf. Common Spotted Triton. Newt. Eft. 



Color: olive to scarlet above, and orange to red underneath (variable); 

 spots on sides, vermillion enclosed in a black ring and usually in a line; be- 

 neath with black dots; costal grooves about 14. H. miniatus, Raf. I be- 

 lieve to be the same species, and I have included its characters in the above 

 description. I have seen the two forms at the same pond during the 

 breeding season, and have also noted gradations in color between the two 

 extremes. It seems to me highly probable that age has something to do 

 with the darker color; L. 3-4 inches; tail 1-2; common in brooks and ponds. 



Plethodon, Tschudi. 



P. erijthronotus, Green. Red Backed Salamander. 



Dorsal stripe red, extending nearly the whole length of the animal; sides 

 cinereous; head brown above; lower jaw whitish; costal grooves or furrows 

 16 to 19; caudal grooves 18-22; L. 3-4 inches; tail 1-2; southern Wisconsin; 

 not rare. 



Variety cinereous, Green. 



Without the red dorsal stripe. This form may be met, and I have placed 

 it here as a variety merely to aid in identification for it would seem fro m 

 the investigations of our best authorities that the changes are simply those 

 wrought by age. 



Their food consists of snails, worms and insects. 



