REPTILIA. 257 
Maui, one of the Sandwich Islands. This genus, thus far represented by a 
single species, Anetdes lugubris, has much the form and size of Plethodon 
glutinosus, but the tail is not so long. Head broader than body, tapering 
anteriorly. Mouth opening from behind the eyes, outline undulating as in 
the alligator, and the teeth of the jaws very large, compressed, and sharp, 
the lower the larger, and all apparently unattached to the bone, but united 
to the gum, and admitting of a depression backward. The sphenoidal 
teeth are in a single close-set patch. The tongue is large, cordiform, and 
attached along the median line. Its place is, perhaps, between Plethodon 
and Desmognathus, the peculiar ligament of the latter even appearing 
present. 
The great interest felt by the naturalist in the order Batrachia urodela, 
has caused us to dwell more at length upon these animals than we shall 
upon those which succeed it in the series. The next in regular order is 
that of Batrachia anoura. As already remarked, its most conspicuous 
external character is the absence of a tail in the adult, and the presence of 
four legs, the posterior the longest. The skull is very short and broad. 
The lower jaw is generally without teeth, which also are never found in 
the sphenoid, but occur almost always in the divided vomer. The ver- 
tebral column consists of but few bones, rarely more than eight. The 
articulations are transversely convex behind, and vertically concave before ; 
the spinous processes are mostly wanting; the transverse processes are 
well developed, and only occasionally are there rudiments of cartilaginous 
ribs attached. The sternum is present, sometimes cartilaginous in part, 
and terminates behind by a broad xiphoid cartilage. The posterior ver- 
tebrze are replaced by a long bone situated in the middle between the two 
parallel ilia, whose posterior portion, embracing the ischium and pubes, are 
combined into a vertical plate with a glenoid cavity on each side, and so 
close together as almost to constitute a perforation in the compressed 
bone: these sockets receive the heads of the tibiz. 
The structure of the tongue affords a convenient opportunity of dividing 
the anourous batrachians into two sub-orders, Phaneroglossa with a 
distinct tongue, and Phrynaglossa without a tongue; the latter embracing 
a very small number of species. Considering, first, the Phaneroglossa, we 
find it divisible into three families: the Ranide, with teeth in the upper 
jaw, and the ends of the toes simple ; the Hylade, with teeth in the upper 
jaw, and the ends of the toes dilated into sucker-like disks ; and Bufonide, 
with no teeth around the upper jaw. 
The generic characters of the first family are derived from the varying 
shape of the tongue, from the greater or less extent and occasional absence 
of the external tympanum, and the number and arrangement of the vomerine 
teeth. Species of this family, as of the two others, are found in all quarters 
of the globe, not confined, like the wrode/a, to the more temperate regions. 
The true Ranide@ are, more or less, inhabitants of water or its vicinity, 
feeding on aquatic insects, and other animals, which they devour with 
great voracity. The flesh is much esteemed, especially that of the hind 
legs, and the animals are caught for the table in nets or by hooks. The 
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