1 13 



** Lateral line of pores on lower pari of tide between axilla 

 and groin* 



2. Triton. 



Granular. Tail compressed. Back of male crested. Toes fr< c, 



simple. 



I. Triton cristatus. 15. M. 



Wendealamandra. erietata, skull, Doges, I.e. t. 1. f. 12, Id (Erp. 

 Gen. ix. t. 102. f. 2, .'5, not sufficiently broad for our specimens). 

 Triton marmoratue, Bibron, Proc. Zool.Soc. 1838,23 (nol Latr.). 

 Triton cristatus & T. Bibromi, 15.11, Brit. Kept. pp. 129, 131, figs. 



Pupil small, circular. Tail with n broad pale-bluisb longitudinal 

 streak rather below the centre. 



M. Bibron, when in London, on observing a specimen of the 

 Warty Newt with straight lips, in the Collection "i the Zoological 

 Society, named it Triton marmoratue, probably thinking thai it was 

 Triton marmoratue of Latreille, a Bpecies of the South of Europe. 



Mr. Bell, in his work on British Reptiles, figures the specimen, 

 and gives it the name of Triton BibronU (pp. 129 ft 131, 6gB.), ob- 

 serving, " it is the same as Tr. cristatus, excepting that the upper 

 lip is perfectly straight." 



After examining various specimens in different states, I am con- 

 vinced that the form of the lip depends on the season, the male in 

 the breeding-season having the most overlapping lip. 



The same change in the form of the lip in the different seasons is 

 to be observed in Liesotriton punetatue. 



Mr. J.IIigginbottoin observes : " The two species of Triton (found 

 in the Midland Counties) present such varied appearances during 

 the three years of their slow hut progressive growth, and during the 

 changes they experience preparatory to their return from being in- 

 habitants of the land, breathing atmospheric air, active in the sum- 

 mer and hibernant in the winter, to being denizens of the water, 

 reproducing their kind in the months of March, April, May, June and 

 July, that I think they have been regarded by naturalist- a- present- 

 ing too great a number of distinct species." — Ann. A Mag, N. II- 

 1853, \ii. 370, 



The >knlls and skeletons of all the genera of Molgidat, Pletko- 

 dontidaij Protonopsida ami Amphinmiihv I ha\e been able to exa- 

 mine, or which are figured in any works that have OCCUITed to me, 



resemble those of the family Salamandrida. 



Considering the very important characters which the examination 

 of the skulls have shown them to possess tor the distinction of the 

 European ami Japan species, it is rery desirable that the American 

 species should he carefully examined tor the same purp ne. I p to this 

 tnne even 'be description of the palatine teeth o4 the American spe- 



i- involved in great uncertainty, the descriptions Of Harlan, 



Bolbrook and Bairel being open at issue on this important point. 



It is but JUBI t I observe, that when I have had the ppu'nn 



