199 



that the suggestion of Professor Baird in regard to its generic 

 affinities was correct. It seems very probable to me that A. 

 Jeffersonianum Baird, is identical with this species, the differ- 

 ences depending upon age, sex, or season ; but my specimens 

 agree best with the original description by Dr. Green of S. por- 

 phyritica ; the last name has, moreover, precedence in the same 

 work. 



Diemictylus miniatus Raf. Symmetrical Salamander. Common ; sel- 

 dom seen abroad, except after showers. 



lyiemictylus viridescens Eaf. " Water Newt," " Evet." Common ; 

 lives in muddy pools and streams. 



Plethodon cinereus Tsch. Not common ; lives under stones and logs, 

 generally with the next. 



Plethodon erythro7iotus Baird. Red-backed Salamander. Very com- 

 mon ; found under stones and logs in rocky woods much more 

 abundantly than the last, with which it is often associated. 

 This species is distributed over all parts of the State ; and I 

 have also found it on the islands in the Bay of Fundy, Breton 

 Island, N. S., and at Gaspe, C. E. P. glutinosus Bd. will 

 probably also occur here. 



Desmognathus fusca Baird. Painted Salamander. Frequent. I 

 have found this species in Greenwood, Me., in cold rocky brooks. 

 Mr. S. R. Carter has also collected it at Paris Hill. The young 

 become quite large before losing their gills. The square red 

 spots on the back are not often apparent except in young speci- 

 mens. 



Pseudotriton salmoneus Baird. One specimen, found in a pool of 

 water, — S. I. Smith. 



Spelerpes hilineata Baird. Strijied-backed Salamander. The only 

 specimen of this species that I have seen from this region was 

 obtained by Mr. S. R. Carter, at Paris Hill, Me. 



Mr. Samuel Wells, Jr., exhibited specimens of the wool of 

 the Alpaca, Llama, and Vicuna, recently imported into this 

 country by Capt. S. B. Bissell of the Cyane ; and read the 

 following extracts from a letter of Capt. Bissell to Hon. 

 Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy, dated on board IT 

 S, Ship Cyane, Chincha Islands, Sept, 16, 1862 : — 



" I have the honor to report that at Pisco I had the great good 

 fortune to purchase (through a friend long resident in Peru) two of 

 those invaluable animals, the Peruvian Vicuna. The exquisite fine- 

 ness of the fleece of this animal, and its hardy character and ad- 

 mirable adaptation to any of the cold climates of the Middle and 



