THE HABITS OF NECTURUS MACULOSUS' 



ALBERT C. EYCLESHYMER 



Necturus although widely distributed throughout eastern and 

 middle North America, is found most abundantly in the rivers 

 tributary to the Great Lakes and in the inland streams and small 

 lakes of the adjoining States. Upon the study of the lake species 

 (Necturus maculosus Rafinesque) the following notes are based. 



The many names under which Necturus has been described 

 lead to such confusion that some of those most frequently met 

 are here given: Necturus maculatus, Necturus maculosm, Necturus 

 lateralis, Menohranchus lateralis, Menohranchus teiradactijlus, 

 Menobranchus sayi, Menobranchm lacepedii, Menobranchus hye- 

 malis, Phanerobranchus tetradactylm, Phanerobraiichus lacepedii, 

 Triton lateralis, Proteus maculatus, Siredon hyemalis, Siren lacer- 

 tina. It is known by fishermen and others unacquainted with 

 scientific nomenclature by various names such as: Proteus of 

 the Lakes, Proteus of the Alleghany River, Siren of Barton, 

 mud-puppy, water-dog, water-lizard, fish-lizard, etc. 



Sise.— According to the writer's observations the adults vary 

 considerably in size, ranging from twelve to eighteen inches. 

 This is based upon an extended series of measurements of indi- 

 viduals taken from different localities and comprising not only 

 the females taken from their nests in the spring, but also both 

 males and females taken in the autumn. It is thus evident that 

 the writer cannot agree with David Starr Jordan ('99, p. 175) 

 and other eminent systematists that Necturus attains a length 

 of 24 inches. In order to ascertain upon what observations these 



{Amer. Monthly Mag. and CrU. Review, vol. 4, 1818, p. 41).^ In 1819^ 



418). In 1820 the specific name maculosus wa- rcsfuvd {A minis nj^ \n 

 or Annual Synopsis of new Genera and Species oj A nimals. I'l,n,!s ... di.^n,r 

 in North America. First Annual Xumhcr, 182U. Trun.syh ania I iu\ei> 

 March 1, 1820. Lexington, Ky.). 



