1896.] Zoology. 499 



Like the crustaceans, it is blind. The most remarkable external fea- 

 ture is the length and slenderness of the legs. In commenting Hi this 

 peculiarity, Dr. Stejneger says : " Viewed in connection with the well- 

 developed finned swimming tail, it can be safely assumed that these 

 extraordinarily slender and elongated legs are not used for locomotion, 

 and the conviction is irresistible that in the inky darkness of the sub- 

 terranean waters they serve as feelers, their development being thus 

 parallel to the excessive elongation of the antennae of the crustaceans." 

 The gills are external, its color nearly white, having the upper sur- 

 faces densely sprinkled with minute pale gray dots, and its total length 

 measures 102 mm. (Proceeds. U. S. Natl. Mus., Vol. XVIII, 1896.) 



Lungless Salamanders. — Following up the observations of Dr. 

 H. Wilder, certain tailed Batrachia examined by Dr. Einar Lonnberg 

 with reference to their possessing functional lungs have brought to 

 light the following facts : D^mmjnatlnts nurirnUitus Ihdbr. and Pletho- 

 den glutinosus Green exhibit no trace of either lungs or larynx. A 

 median longitudinal groove is the only remaining rudiment of the 

 aditus ad laryngem. The transverse laryngeal muscles are well de- 

 veloped in Ptethodon glutinosus, as is also the median narrow strip of 

 connective tissue at which the muscles insert themselves. 



Mancuhi* qtmdridic/ibdu* has no trace of lungs, larynx or aditus ad 

 laryngem, and, although the laryngeal muscles are well developed, the 

 connective tissue between the muscles is very feebly developed. The 

 median strip of connective tissue forming a point of insertion for the 

 laryngeal muscles can be seen. This species exhibits the most reduced 

 rudiments of the laryngeal apparatus of the specimens under obser- 



Amhhjdonm opueinn possesses rudimentary lungs and a small aditus 

 ad laryngem. The author regards the lungs as rudimentary, because 

 they are so very small and narrow, measuring about 9 mm. in length 

 and" 1j mm. in width at the broadest place. It is probable that the 

 function as respiratory organs in conjunction with some other organ, 

 either the skin or " la cavite bucco-pharyngienne," as Camerano has 

 found to be the case with Spelerpes fusea. 



The theory suggested by the author to explain the reduction and 

 oss of lungs in these animals is stated as follows: When these sala- 

 manders lost the gills and increased in bulk, the small and not very 

 composite lungs were insufficient for respiration, so that the bucco- 

 pharyngeal cavity (? together with the exterior integument) even from 

 the beginning had to play a certain part. In some of the forms the 



