THE BATRACHIA OF NOKTH AMERICA. 



195 



plicci extends from this to tbe gular, inclosing an ovate enlarged area, 

 ;uid a sbort one to the orbit incloses a postorbital subround and smaller 

 area. 



The commissure of the mouth is more undulate in males than in females, 

 but both present a slight elongation of the symphysis, produced exter- 

 nally by a pad of crypts. The width of the head enters the length 

 5.0G times. The vomerine teeth are often wanting, and when present 

 are minute and few. Their basis is a ridge, which extends from behind 

 the middle of the posterior nares across the palate with a posterior con- 

 vexity. The parasphenoid patches are small and not in contact; the}^ 

 do not extend to opposite the middle of the orbits. 



The median toes are elongate, and as in D. ochrophcea; they fail to 

 meet by four interspaces when pressed to the side. The tail has a char- 

 acteristic form, which is invariable at all periods ; near the base the sec- 

 tion is trigonal : the dorsal keel increases in elevation and becomes a 

 narrow fin posteriorly ; the extremity is attenuated. Its length is just 

 equal to that of the remainder of the animal. 



Fig. 48. Desmognathus fiosca fusca. No. 40. Carlisle, Pa. ; f. 



Tliere are two color varieties, which blend together so as to indicate 

 that no higher value can be attached to them ; one of these is the Sala- 

 mandra auriculata of Holbrook. 



Above brown, with gray and pink shades ; sides and belly marbled, tbe pale prcdom- 

 iiiatiug; no red spots on sides var. /«sca. 



Above and sides black; tbe latter with a series of small red spots; a red spot from 

 eye to cantbus of moutb, present or absent ; belly marbled, tbe dark predominat- 

 ing var. auriculata. 



The latter variety occurs only in the Southern States ; the tubercle 

 of the angle of the eye and the upper lateral pores are often better 

 developed in it than in var. Fusca, therefore approaching D. nigra. It 

 is, however, easily distinguished from the latter. Sundry specimens 



