LIZARDS, TORTOISES AND BATRACHIANS 403 



Family 5 pleurodelidab 



Newts 



18 Diemictylus viridescens, Rafinesque 



JVewt, eft 



De Kay. Triton niillepunctatus, crimson spotted triton, newt, p. 84, 



pi. 15, fig. 33, 34. 

 Brownish olive above ; straw-colored or dirty white below ; each 

 side with a row of three to six scarlet spots, each with a dark bor- 

 der ; very small dots all over. 12 obscure costal furrows. Length 

 o\ inches. 



Very common in ponds everywhere. The only one of our sala- 

 manders which swims around in deep water and does not live on 

 the bottom or under stones. Eggs laid one at a time in the axils of 

 leaves of water plants. 



Yar. miniatus 



Red eft 



De Kay. Salamandra coccinea, the scarlet salamander, p. 81, pi. 21, 



fig. 54 b 

 Yery similar, but bright vermilion red ; skin rougher. It is 

 found in the same region but away from water ; under stones, etc. 

 coining out after rain. Probably a form of the preceding, its 

 peculiarities being due to life out of water. 



Order 3 (ANURA) SALIENTIA 

 Tailless batrachians 



Body short and broad ; all four limbs present, the hinder limbs 

 long and strong, adapted for leaping ; lower jaw usually toothless ; 

 tail wanting in the adult. 



The eggs are laid in compact gelatinous masses, usually attached 

 to sticks or weeds, in the water. The young tadpoles have external 

 gills when first hatched, but these are soon covered over by a gill 

 cover, which has a single opening at one side (fig. 4). Both pairs 

 of limbs develop at the same time, but the anterior pair are inclosed 

 in the gill covers and do not break them till a late stage. The tail 

 gradually becomes absorbed, and the gills disappear, while lungs 

 develop, and the animal attains its adult form, which is always frog- 

 like and air-breathing. — 



