BATRACHIANS OF THE VICINITY OF NEW YORK 179 



appear almost uniform black above and show no traces of mark- 

 ings except on the sides and abdomen. The head is about the 

 same width as the body. The front pair of limbs is feeble; the 

 hind pair, larger and stronger. Total length, 4I inches; length 

 of tail, 2\ inches; diameter of body, f inch. 



Range: Eastern North America. 



Local Distribution: Abundant in the vicinity of small streams. 



This is the most abundant of our salamanders, but it is not 



FIG. 13- THE DUSKY SALAMANDER 

 From specimen in New York Zoological Park 



found except in the immediate vicinity of water. It is common 

 in all situations where flat stones, dead leaves or similar objects 

 not actually in the water, but in damp or muddy places in the 

 beds of pools, offer concealment. When discovered in its lairs it 

 runs and wriggles with bewildering agility, often taking to shallow 

 water and secreting itself in the mud in order to escape. Accord- 

 ing to Cope, the eggs of this species are connected by an albumin- 

 ous thread, which contracts and hardens after deposition. One 

 of the sexes protects this string of eggs by twisting it about the 

 body and remaining in concealment. The exact duration of the 

 guard over the progeny is not definitely known. The young 



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