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ered by the water. There were forty egg? of rather large size, eaob 

 one adhering quite strongly to the rock, but only in contact with 

 the other eggs, and without any mucus investing the whole cluster 

 like that of most frogs and toads. 



The yolk of the egg is white, like ivory in lustre, and about one- 

 tenth of an inch in diameter; the surrounding substance is perfectly 

 colorless and transparent and about one-quarter inch in diameter. In 

 these eggs the embryos were distinctly formed by the first of June ; 

 but those collected by Mr. Carter on the 29th of May were newly 

 laid. With the latter were found young ones in two well-marked 

 stages of growth, all of them with external gills. These will rep- 

 resent those of the two preceding years, unless this species breeds 

 twice during the season, which is not probable. The smaller ones 

 vary from nine-tenths to one and one-tenth of an inch in length, 

 and have a broad, flat tail, scarcely tapering, truncate at the end ; 

 the feet are well formed. The larger ones are from one and seven- 

 tenths to one and nine-tenths of an inch in length, and have a flat- 

 tened, tapering tail, well-developed external gills, and all the mark- 

 ings commonly found on the adults, which are three or four inches 

 long, and have tails much longer, in proportion, tapering to a 

 slender point. With a large number of these two sizes, there is 

 a single one intermediate between them. This is one and three- 

 tenths of an inch in length, and is very likely only a somewhat 

 smaller individual than usual of the larger sized form, but this can 

 be definitely determined only by a greater number of specimens. 



From what has already been ascertained, however, there can be 

 but little doubt that the external gills remain two years and that the 

 adult size is not attained before the third year. 



This species differs, therefore, very remarkably from Plethodon 

 erythronotus, both in the manner of laying the eggs and in the de- 

 velopment of the young ; for in the latter the young, as observed by 

 Mr. Putnam, lost their external gills in less than three days from the 

 time they were hatched, and probably attain their adult size during 

 the first year. 



The only previous notice of the eggs of this species that I have 

 been able to find, is a remark by Prof Baird, that the eggs are 

 " wrapped around the body of the female, who remains in a dauip 

 spot until they are hatched." This habit is entirely different from 

 what I have observed, and, in connection with the great differences 

 in the color and other characters of specimens from different locali- 

 ties, referred to this species, would indicate that two or more species 

 have been confounded under one name. It is possible that the ob- 

 servation of Prof. Baird applies to the form recently described by 



