MUD PUPPl, WATER DOG, OE DOG FISH. 



715 



one of these animals caught in the Hudson. He also informed me that 

 one had previously been captured in that river. It had probably passed 

 thence through the Erie canal or the one connecting the river with 

 Lake Champlain. 



Kneeland* states that this animal is nocturnal, feeds upon living 

 worms, never dead ones unless very hungry, swallowed but could not 

 digest minnows two and half inches long, has its gills nibbled off by 

 small fish, and hence can survive by cutaneous and pulmonary respira- 

 tion. Smith t confirms Kneeland's view of the pulmonary, as well as 

 branchial respiration, in that he succeeded in inflating one of the pul- 

 monary sacs. He also found a Libellula larva in the animal's stomach. 



Their motions are very active when in the water, and are performed by 

 the body and tail. They seem to be ill at ease when placed in the sun, 

 and attempt to get out by retiring into a shady part. They have been 

 known to live in water that froze a half inch every night for three 

 months, but died in about four hours when removed from the liquid. 

 When in water they may be observed crawling about over the bottom, 

 rising to the surface at times and expelling a globule of air or effecting 

 the same under water. They eat a number of worms a day, or go several 

 months without food. At times they are found with parasitic worms 

 near their gills. The flesh of this animal is said to be excellent eating. 



SUB-OKDBR CaDUCIBRANCHIATA. 



Branchiae not present in the adult state ; maxillary and nasal bones large ; prefBontals 

 nsnally present ; premaxillse separate or anohylosed, and always dentigerous. 

 'Branchial apertures upon the neck open. (Dkrotrbmata ) a. 

 •Branchial apertures closed in adult. 6. 



a. Anterior metacarpal bones three ; extralimital. . . . Amphiumid.®. 



a. Anterior metacarpals four Menopomid^. 



i. Anterior metacarpals four SAiAMAKDRn).a;. 



FAMILY MENOPOMIDiE. THE MEN0P0ME8. 

 Frotonopaid(B, Cope. 



Skull broad ; parasphenoid edentulous ; vomer with teeth along its anterior margin ; 

 premaxillse and dentaries dentigerous; maxillse and nasals large; pterygoid present 

 and very broad ; two separate premaxillary bones ; prefrontals and parietals prolonged 

 so as to embrace the frontals; fronto-temporal arch absent; occipital condyles sessile; 

 basihyal cartilage present ; gill holes open or closed ; branchial arches may be reduced 

 to two ; upper and lower eyelids distinct ; vertebrae amphiocelous ; carpus and tarsus 



* Proo. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. vi, pp. 152, 371, and 429. 

 tAnn.Lyo. Nat. Hist., N. T., vol. ii, p. 259, 



