THE BATEACHIA OF NORTH AMERICA. 



455 



eut appearance of the two was very striking upon the most superficial 

 examination. 



"One clay in July the whole north half of this pond suddenly ran 

 dry; and I must confess the sight its bottom presented during the fol- 

 lowing day was one of the most extraordinary, and at the same time 

 most interesting, that I ever beheld, and after what has been said can 

 be better imagined than described. It absolutely swarmed with these 

 creatures, whose organizations were accommodating themselves to the 

 new condition of affairs as rapidly as the laws governing the changes 

 permitted. The study would have furnished food for ii small volume. 



"Axolotls are also affected by the character of the ponds or swamps 

 they live in, the same species showing all manner of shades in their col- 

 oration. Those in shallow ponds, with little or no vegetation and hard 

 clay bottoms, grow to be very light colored, and long retain their larval 

 forms. 



"No doubt many such ponds as I have described exist all over this 

 Southwestern country, and a moment's reflection will make it clear to 

 us how the metamorphosis of this creature tends to save thousands of 

 their lives when the region is visited by a protracted drought and 

 their places of water resort fail them. The preservation of the form is 

 thereby to a great extent protected." 



A good many of the adults x)rocured by Dr. Shufeldt difl'er from the 

 typical foi m in the shortness of the tail ; its length from the posterior 

 end of the vent equaling the length from that point to the axilla. 



CHONDROTUS CINGULATUS Cope (p. 100). 



The following figures of this species were unavoidably omitted from 

 their proper places in the text: 



I'iG. 116. Chondrotus cingidatus. No. 378C. A'bbeTille, S. C; f. 

 SPELERPES RUBER Band. (p. 172). 



Dr. Charles C. Abbott informs me that this species has a distinct 

 whistle-like voice, and states that Mr. John Burroughs has also heard it. 



AMPHIUMA MEANS Card. (p. 2U\). 



Splanchnology. — The bulbus arteriosus is of considerable length, and 

 then gives off an aorta bow on each side, and bifurcates almost immedi- 



