554 THE AMERICAN NATURALIST. [VoL. XXXIV. 
at my disposal, and a survey of its contents shows me that, 
while it is decidedly unlike the axolotl described in this paper, 
it is suitable for the study of a number of points in the anat- 
omy of the axolotl, on which at present only the most scanty 
information is in print. I hope to make this material the sub- 
ject of a second paper, which will follow this one at a later 
date. I desire in this connection also to express my obligation 
to Professor L. Stejneger of the U. S. National Museum, and 
to Professor H. H. Wilder of Smith College, Northampton, 
Mass., for their suggestions with reference to the bibliography 
of this subject. 
The Dakota specimen shown in dorsal and side views in 
Figs. 1 and 2 differs from previously known forms, including 
the Montana ones of Dr. Lee, in a number of anatomical 
points, and besides it comes from a region that is very differ- 
ent in geographical conditions from all regions previously 
reported. 
It is known by only a single specimen, which was sent to 
the writer for identification by Miss Prudence Tasker of 
Aménia, North Dakota. It was found on March 21, 1899, in 
Rush River, a tributary of the Red River of the North, a 
situation described by the sender as “called a river merely by 
courtesy, —a stream that rises in a marsh and ends in a marsh, 
— dries up every summer, except in little pools.” The stream 
is mostly shallow, but at one place has been made. deeper by a 
dam, and here the specimen was found. The stream contains 
limited numbers of the smaller kinds of fish. It was found by 
a workman who had cut a hole in the ice to water horses, and 
while baling snow out of the hole baled this specimen out with 
the snow. He was attracted to it by seeing it crawl. It was 
taken to the store of Mr. Mosberg in Amenia, where it was 
examined by many persons, none of whom were familiar with 
anything like it. It died after a few hours and was sent to me 
packed in snow, and some drawings and measurements were 
made while it was still fresh. 
Since receiving this specimen another has been reported by 
Miss Tasker ; it was found by Mr. G. Makee in June, 1898, at 
Kenmare, North Dakota, on the bank of Mouse River, in 
