2^S 



FROGS, TOADS, AND SALAMANDERS 



Necturus. — The neeturus has a long, rather depresseu 

 body, reniin(Ung one of a reptile. It is found in the rivers 

 of tlie upper Mississippi Valley and in the Great Lakes and 

 the lakes of central New York, The body reaches a maxi- 

 mum length of sixteen inches and has two pairs of shoi't 

 legs. It has three Ijusliy red gills on each side of the head 

 and is especially to be noted as an amphibian that retains 

 its gills througJwul life. 



The siren, or "mud eel," which is found abundantly in 

 the cUtcbes of the South Carolina rice fiekls and in fact 



Fig. 160. —Mud eel oc .siren : (r, gill.s. 



occurs throughout the southern states to Texas, is another 

 amphibian that I'ctains its gills throughout life. It has a 

 da.rk-coloi'cd, cylindrical body about two feet long, but 

 hits only one paii' of limbs, the front ])air (Fig. 166). 



Hellbender. — The "hellbender," "water dog," or "alli- 

 gnlor," as it is variously called, is a lai'gc ;i,mphibian 



