FROGS, TOAUS, AND SALAMANDERS 239 



from eighteen to tweiit}^ inches long, found in the Ohio 

 River and its tributaries. It is a repulsive but harmless 

 animal. Closely allied is the giant salamander of Japan, 

 which attains a length of three feet. 



The Congo snake. — There is an amphibian found in the 

 swamps, muddy streams, and ditches of the southeastern 

 states that is known as the "congo snake" or "congo eel." 

 It has a slender, eel-like body al )out t^vo feet long with t^\-o 

 pairs of small, short legs. It is erroneously thought to be 

 venomous. 



Salamanders. — The salamanders are small, smooth- 

 skinned, reptile-like amphibians found in many and varied 



Fig. 167. — Spotted .salamander. 



situations all over the United States. They differ from 

 the toads and frogs in possessing tails that persist through- 

 out life. The spotted salamander, which has a series of 

 round yellow spots along each edge of the back, is about 

 six inches long, and is common in the eastern United 

 States (Fig. 167). It is terrestrial, frequenting moist 

 places beneath logs, leaves, etc. Like the toad, it passes 

 through remarkable changes in its development, — the 

 larva possessing gills. The adult, when disturbed or 

 handled, may eject a stream of transparent fluid. 



