AUTODAX lECANUS. 777 



alone. One even raised itself hi^h enough to secure a 

 foothold. 



The animal's tail is also of use to it in another way. 

 When caught, Aiitodax iecanus will often remain motion- 

 less, but if touched will either run a short distance with 

 great speed, or, quickly raising its tail and striking it forc- 

 ibly against the surface on which it rests, and accompa- 

 nying this act with a quick motion of its hind limbs, will 

 jump from four to six inches, rising as high as two or 

 three. 



Several specimens, which were kept alive for some 

 time, climbed up the vertical sides of the glass bottle in 

 which they were confined, and sometimes even passed the 

 incurved portion of its neck. They were aided in doing 

 this by the extremely viscid mucus with which they are 

 covered. 



One, caught on the evening of August first, struggled 

 violently trying to escape from the hand in which I held 

 it. A few minutes later, I noticed that it was very quiet, 

 and, after carefully examining it, decided that the heat of 

 my hand had caused its death. In order to test this more 

 thoroughly the animal was thrown into water, but still it 

 showed no signs of life, and floated, as placed, either on 

 its back or belly. It was then carried home and laid upon 

 my table. Ten minutes later it began to walk slowly 

 away. 



A large Aiitodax iecattus' and fifteen eggs were sent me 

 from Los Gatos, July 23, 1895. The eggs were evidently 

 those of a batrachian, doubtless of this species. Each 

 egg was about 6 min. in diameter, alrnost spherical, and 

 inclosed in a thin, tough, gelatinous sheath. Each of 

 these sheaths was drawn out, at one place, into a slender 

 peduncle, which was attached to a basal mass of the same 

 gelatinous substance. In this way, each egg was at the 



2d Sek., Vol. V. ( 60 ) October 30, 1895. 



