MANUAL OF NATUKAL HISTOKY. 77 



3. Family. — Gross-toothed Salamanders (Plethodon- 

 tidae). Skin smooth, rarely granular ; pala- 

 tine teeth in interrupted cross series in front 

 of palate ; sphenoid mostly toothed. 



IV. ORDER. — Gill-less Amphibians (Abranchia). 



Body elongate, formed for swimming; legs 4, 

 rudimentary; tail compressed ; respiration by means 

 of lungs only ; branchiae rudimentary, internal. 



1. Family. — Menopomas (Protonopsidae). Body 



depressed ; legs 4, strong, fringed on sides ; 

 toes 4 or 5 ; head depressed ; palatine teeth 

 in a transverse arched series. 



2. Family. — Amphiumas (Amphiumidae). Body 



very elongate ; head oblong; lips thick; gape 

 small ; legs 4, rudimentary ; neck with a 

 foramen on each side ; palatine teeth in two 

 longitudinal diverging series. 



V. ORDER. — An t guiform- Amphibians (Apoda). 



Body slender, elongate, anguiform ; feet none ; 



tail almost wanting ; branchiae exist in the young 



state, disappear in the adult.* 



1. Family. — Blind-Newts (Caeciliidse). Skin smooth, 

 wrinkled, with minute scales ; head depressed ; 

 eyes very small, mostly concealed beneath 

 skin; gill opening closed in adults. 



* See Miiller in Oken's "Isis" for 1831, p. 710, or a translation 

 by Mr. J. Hogg, in " Annals and Magazine of Natural History," vol. 

 vii. 1841, p. 354. 



