229 



cocoa-nut leaf, which supports them on a worked band of sinnet ; 

 upon this, under the row of seventeen shells, small oval pieces of the 

 same pearly shell were placed, to add to the ornamental effect. The 

 length of the band was 12 inches (not including the tying strings) 

 and the depth 3 inches, 



7. Descriptions of New Species of Salamanders from 

 China and Siam. By Dr. J. E. Gray, F.R.S., V.P.Z.S., etc. 



(Reptilia, PL XIX.) 



Mr. Fortune, on his late return from China, brought with him for 

 the British Museum a bottle containing a Salamander, some Fishes, 

 and a Leech, collected from a river on the north-east coast of China, 

 inland from Ningpo. 



The Fishes are two varieties, olive and golden, of a very peculiar 

 monstrosity of the common gold fish of China, Cyprinus auratus, 

 which has long been known, and is figured in several of the Chinese 

 works. 



It is peculiar for having a very short and thick body, entirely de- 

 stitute of any dorsal fin, with a regularly trifid or three-finned tail, 

 and more especially for having very large and swollen eyes, which 

 give a distorted appearance to the animal ; the pupil of the eyes 

 being on the upper part of the swollen orbs, and on a level with the 

 upper surface of the back. 



The Salamander or Newt was obtained from the same stream. It 

 is curious as being the first example of the family which has been 

 found in Continental Asia, though there are several species common 

 in Japan. 



It is nearly allied and appears to belong to the same genus as one 

 of the Japanese specimens ; but at the same time it is quite distinct, 

 as a species, from any yet received from that country. 



It may be indicated as — 



Cynops chinensis. (PL XIX., fig. 1.) 



Above uniform dark olive (in spirits) ; beneath bluish-black, with 

 small, unequal, irregular, yellow spots on the chin, neck, belly, and 

 underside of the legs ; the spots on the belly are the largest ; the 

 under edge of the tail reddish-yellow ; skin acutely granular. 



Var. 1. Tail pale grey, brown on each side, with a blackish mar- 

 ginal band above and below, and with a yellow inferior edge. 



Hab. River N.E. Coast of China, inland from Ningpo. 



This species resembles in the form of the head, the parotoid glands, 

 and in the granular state of the skin, Cynops pyrrogaster of Japan ; 

 but it differs from it in its much larger size and in the style of its 

 colouring, especially on its under side. C. pyrrogaster is dark red, 

 with large black blotches or spots ; while this is dark lead-coloured, 

 with small yellow spots. 



