70 GUIDE TO REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS. 



in small mountain-streams, where it lies concealed under stones, etc., 

 and feeds on fishes, amphibians, worms, and insects. Like its 

 American relative, it will readily take a bait, and it is caught for 

 food by the natives. It does not appear ever to leave the water. 

 A specimen has lived in captivity for over 50 years. 



The typical representative of the family is the eel-like Three- 

 toed Salamander (Amphiuma means, 550; fig> 69) of North America. 



Passing on to the family Salamandridce, of which the distinctive 

 features are mentioned on page 69, we have the North American 

 Tiger-Salamander {Amblystoma Mgrinum, 552) as the typical repre- 

 sentative of the sub-family AmMystomathuc, which includes seven 



Fig. 70. 



The Axolotl; the egg-laying larval form of Amblystoma tigrinicm, Mexico. 



(No. 552.) 



geuera, characterised by the grouping of the palatal teeth and 

 the number (four or five) of hind-toes. Ordinarily A. tigrinum 

 undergoes the usual development and transformations, commencing 

 life as an aquatic creature with external gills, and passing when adult 

 into a terrestrial air-breathing Salamander. Tn the lakes near the city 

 of Mexico the species remains, however, permanently in the aquatic 

 gill-bearing condition (fig. 70), reproducing its kind while in this 

 state. To the natives these permanent larvae are known by the name 

 of Axolotl. They are frequently brought to this country and repro- 

 duce in the gill-bearing phase, but occasionally, even in captivity, have 

 been seen to leave the water and change into gill-less Salamanders. 



