THE SALAMANDERS OF NORTH CAROLINA 
C. S. BRIMLEY 
Salamanders are animals which are commonly confused 
with lizards and which mainly resemble them in external ap- 
pearance. Their true affinities, in spite of the possession of 
limbs, are however with the fishes, with which group they 
and the other amphibians are sometimes combined under the 
name of Icthyopsida. 
They differ externally from from all our lizards in the pos- 
session of a moist skin without scales, while all our lizards 
have a dry scaly skin. The skin in salamanders and other 
amphibians (frogs and toads) is always moist, and used to 
some extent (wholly in many species) as an organ of respira- 
tion. 
The forms which occur or are liable to occur in this state 
may be recognized by the following key. 
KEY TO THE SALAMANDERS OCCURING OR LIABLE TO OCCUR IN 
NORTH CAROLINA 
1. Adults with with external gills, 2. 
Adults without external gills, 5. 
2. Hind limbs absent, 3. 
Hind limbs present. Toes 4 on both hind and fore- 
feet, 4. 
3. Toes 4. Size large. Great Siren ( Siren lacertina). 
Toes 3. Size small. Little Siren {Pseudobranchas striatus ) . 
4. Brown with darker spots. Water Dog ( Necturus mac- 
ulatus'). 
[December 
150 
