SONGLBSS BATEACHIANS. 41 



sharply defined yellow spots about the size of the 

 eye, less symmetrically arranged than those of Am- 

 Uystoma punctatum ; beneath, the dull white color is 

 sometimes, but not always, blotched with yellow. The 

 head is proportionally small, the body thick and wide, 

 and the legs stout and short. 



The young of this species are said to be very 

 abundant in all still water in the far "West. They 

 are exceedingly voracious and bite at the hook read- 

 ily. Late in the summer they complete their meta- 

 morphoses and take to the land, where they hide in 

 the holes of woodchucks, badgers, etc. Professor 

 Cope describes a captive salamander of this species 

 (it came from New Jersey) which occupied a burrow 

 in the soil of his fernery for several weeks. The 

 burrow had two openings, and from one of these the 

 head of the creature could usually be seen, with 

 the little eyes intently watching what was going on 

 in the outer world. I had two such salamanders in 

 captivity in my own fernery for about a year. They 

 became perfectly tame, and ate from my hand. It 

 was amusing to watch the little heads deliberately 

 turn for a better view of some interesting object. 



Amhlystoma tigrinum is common from southern 

 ISew York southward and westward, and is especially 

 abundant near Beasley's Point, between Cape May 

 and Atlantic City, IST. J. A specimen is even re- 



