TFIE BATRACHIA OF NORTH AMERICA. 155 



Costal piica3 IC. Head wide, Avidth less than seven times to groin, not over twice to 

 axilla; a strong canthus rostralis; tail rounded at the base, not finned; large; 

 nniforui purple-gray above. O. porphyriticus. 



GYRINOPHILUS PORPHYRITICUS Green.* 

 Cope, Proceed., Ac. Phila., 18G9, p. 108 



Salamandra porphyritica. Green, Contr. Maclut. Lye, i, 1827, p. 3, PI. 1, fig. 2. 

 Salamandm salmonea (Storer), Holbr., N. A. Herp., v, p. 33, PI. 8; De Kay, N. Y. 



Faun., Rept., p. 76, PI. 16, fig. 39. 

 Triton porphyriticus, Holbr., I. c, p. 83, PI. 28. 



Pneudomton salmoneus, Joum. Ac. Phila. (2), i, p. 287 ; Hallow., I. c, iv, p. 347. 

 AmhJystoma salinoneum, Dam. & Bibr., p. 110. 

 SpcJcrpes salmoneus, Stranch, Salam., p. 83. 



Spelerpesf salmonea, Gray, Cat. Batr. Grad. Brit. Mns., ed. i, p. 46. 

 Spelerpesf porphyyitica, id., ihid. 

 Spelerpes liorpliynticufi, Bouleuger, Cat. Batr. Grad. Brit. Mus., ed. ii, 1882, p. 64. 



This fine species of salamander lias an elongated and slender body, 

 mocli depressed tlironghout, with very litth^ constriction at the neck, 

 and the tail tapering very imperceptibly from the body. The skin is 

 smooth and very slippery, everywhere under the lens showing appproxi- 

 mated shallow pits, but no indication of glands. As nearly as can be 

 ascertained the pores of the head are as in Spelerpes ruber. 



The head is flat, depressed, and rather wedge-shaped, the whole upper 

 part to the muzzle being nearly in one plane. The muzzle is promi- 

 nently and broadly truncate, though a little rounded. Tiie sides of the 

 head are abruptly oblique and also quite plane, the canthns rostralis 

 being very strongly marked as an angular ridge extending forward 

 outside the nostrils to the edge of the jaw, where it forms a slight 

 and obtuse projection. This ridge is further indicated by a light line 

 (alwaj^s present) from the anterior angles of the eye along its summit 

 to the margin of the jaw; the two nearly parallel. The nostrils send a 

 narrow furrow from their outer extremity down this ridge. 



The lower edge of the upper jaw viewed from before is concave, being 

 bounded on each side by tlie ridge just mentioned. There is no well- 

 detined cirrus however. The side view of the lower edge of the upper 

 jaw is also concave. The upper jaw^ projects largely over the lower, 

 most so anteriorly. 



The eyes are large and prominent, distant anteriorly about one and a 

 half lengths of the orbit ; the external nostrils one orbit length apart ; 

 the inner less than this. The latter are very minute. The tongue is 

 circular, entirely free, pedicellate, and greatly protractile. 



The teeth are much as in Spelerpes ruber; the parasphenoidal bands 

 perhaps rather narrow. 



The body is rather vermiform, being of equal size throughout, much 

 depressed, with a furrow^ from nape to above anus, where the tail rist;- 

 into a sharp ridge, which continues to the tip. There are sixteen distinct 

 " Plate 30, Hg. 6; 33; 34, fig8. 1-4; 35, fig. 6; 40, fig. 3; 48, lig. 13. 



