No. 499] COLORATION OF PLETHODON CINEREUS 451 



sponds to the dorsal portion of the black lateral hand in 

 Plethodon cine tens erytlnonot us. This row of dots is 

 broadest above the region of the arm, whence it is grad- 

 ually reduced as the leg is approached. The coloration 

 of the tail is similar to that of the Buffalo specimen ex- 

 cepting that the black color, instead of being collected in 

 blotches, is more diffuse and continuous with the same 

 color in the trunk region. 



When these specimens were examined more closely 

 they were found to have the body proportions and all of 

 the structural features of Plethodon cinereus. 



In the Cayuga Lake Basin both Plethodon cinereus 

 cinereus and P. c. erythronotus are abundant and great 

 variation with regard to coloration has already been 

 noted. Several hundred specimens, mostly from this 

 region, were examined with a view to determining tlie 

 extent of the variation in coloration. This resulted in 

 the selection of a series of fifteen individuals, of 

 practically the same size, which show a fairly complete 

 transition, in regard to coloration, between the typical 

 Plethodon cinereus cinereus and the red forms taken near 

 Buffalo. The middle of the series is occupied by a 

 typical P. c. erythronotus (Fig. 4). From this variety 

 the coloration in one direction grades into P. c. cinereus 

 and in the other into the red form. 



Cope 3 describes the variety erythronotus as follows: 



