50 FAMILIAR LIFE IN FIELD AND FOREST. 



in the year, yet never have heard him sing. Still, 

 this again proves nothing ; there are other places and 

 times that he might have sung, and not every one 

 could be the fortunate listener. But let me draw to- 

 gether some facts which have a favorable bearing on 

 the salamander's voice, and then leave the reader free 

 to form his own opinion. 



Professor Cope says of a Western batraehian, 

 Anvphiuma means, that it resembles the species of 

 Desmognathus in the possession of a chirrup or 

 whistle (!). Then he continues, ''I do not know of 

 another American salamander which possesses a 

 voice." Also, in an addenda to the work from which 

 I quote,* he says : " Dr. Charles C. Abbott informs 

 me that S'/>ele/-j)e.s rubra has a distinct whistlelike 

 voice, and states that John Burroughs has also 

 heard it." 



Dr. Abbott says, in Outings at Odd Times : " It 

 was only after a hard chase that I captured it " [a red 

 salamander], " and, holding it in my hand until rested, 

 I endeavored to induce it to squeak, for it is one 

 of the very few that has a voice ; but it was not to 

 be coaxed. It suffered many indignities in silence, 

 and so shamed me by its patience that I gently 

 placed it in the brook." 



* The Batraehia of Nortli America. 



