24 



THE AMERICAN NATURALIST [Vol. XLI 



ticularly important consisting of about 25 new undescribed 

 quadrupeds, 30 new birds and about 32 new reptiles" * * * * 

 "Among so many undescribed things it must follow that several 

 may constitute new genera. . . .1 propose to select 8 N. G. and 10 

 N, Sp. in order to convey an idea of the whole. 



(p. 41) I. N. Sp. Sirena maculosa, (A Reptile). Body oliva- 

 ceous brown, covered with large unequal blackish spots * * * 

 "This spotted siren bears the generic name Water Puppet along 

 with S. lutea and S. fusca." 



A year later, after he had been able to study his collections, 

 Rafinesque ('19) erected the new genus Necturus to include this 

 form. I quote part of his description, (p. 418): "Ille Classe. 

 Reptiles * * * * 7. Necturus (Batracien) Different des genres 

 Salamandra, Triturus (Triton, Laur.), Larvarius (Proteus, Aurt.), 

 par queue comprimde 4 doigts separes a tons les 4 pieds, branchies 



exterieures persistent communement jusqu' a la vieillesse 



Esp^ces: N. maculatus, N. lutescens, N. fuscus, N. marginatus, 

 N. axolotes?, N. anguillaris, N. operculatus, etc." 



A year later Rafinesque ('20) again describes this form, (p. 4) : 



"III Class. Erpetia — the Reptiles 17. Necturus macu- 



losus, olive brown covered with large unequal black spots .... 

 My genus Necturus (70 N. G. An.) is distinguished from Triturus 

 by having teeth, four toes to all the feet and external gills present 



to a late period .... 18. Necturus luteus 19. Necturus phos- 



phoreus" * * *. 



Mitchill ('21, p. 183) says in regard to this form: "From such 

 survey as I have been capable of making I am inclined to consider 

 him a Proteus; but of a species different to that known to European 

 naturalists." Later, in a very extensive description with good 

 plate, (Mitchill, '24) he describes a specimen from Lake Erie and 

 recognizes that it differs from the genus Proteus, but is " averse tO' 

 unnecessary multipUcation of genera." 



In 1823 Say (James, '23, vol. 1, p. 5, footnote) describes speci- 

 mens from the Allegheny River, with permanent branchiae. He says 

 that it is caught at Pittsl)urg but is not so abundant as S. alleghe- 

 niensis. He gives the new name Triton lateralis. 



Harlan ('24, p. 233, pi. 16), evidently unaware of the papers of 

 Rafinesque, erected the new genus Menobranchus. "The Am- 



