416 
VEETEBRATA. 
on it with liorror, as most destructive; and considered it as deadly a part of the poisoner's labo- 
ratory as aconite or hemlock. Hence came a proverb, that he who was bitten by a salamander 
had need of as many physicians as the animal had spots ; and another more hopeless : " If a 
salamander bites you, put on your shroud." 
Not only was its bite considered fatal, and the administration of the animal itself, taken 
internally, believed to be deadly, but any thing that its saliva had touched was said to become 
poisonous. Thus, if it crept over an apple-tree, it was supposed to poison all the fruit with its 
saliva ; and even herbs on which the fluid fell were believed to affect those who tasted them with 
vomiting. These fables had taken such strong hold, that it was thought worthy of record in the 
" Acts of the Academy of Natural Curiosities," that a man had survived after eating a salamander, 
which his wife had put into his food in hopes of thereby becoming a widow. But the grand 
absurdity was the belief that the salamander was incombustible — an idea which had no other 
foundation than that a copious secretion of the fluid above named, might damp the flames. An- 
other fable was that the saliva of the salamander was a depilatory, and of such power as to remove 
even the most luxuriant tresses. Its heart was worn as an amulet, and was used in medicine as 
a cure for leprosy ; it also was supposed to have the faculty of transmuting quicksilver into gold. 
THE TIOLET-COLOEED SALAMANDER. 
The species of salamander in the United States are numerous. The Yellow-bellied Sala- 
mander, S. sym7netrica, is three inches long, reddish-brown above ; it is found under stones 
and decayed wood ; common from Maine to Florida. The Yiolet-colored Salamander, S. 
suh-violacea^ is five to seven inches long ; bluish-black, with bright yellow spots ; habits noc- 
turnal, living under rocks, stones, and decaying trees ; found from Maine to Maryland. The 
Red-backed Salamander, S. erytlironota, three and a half inches long, runs rapidly, is seen among 
the leaves in moist wooded districts, and conceals itself under stones and decayed trees; found fi'om 
Northern New York to South Carolina. The Painted Salamander, S. picta, four and a half 
inches long, dark slate above ; inhabits shallow streams ; found from Massachusetts to Penn- 
sylvania. The Salmon-colored Salamander, S. salmonea, five and a half inches long, color 
reddish-brown ; found in New York and the New England States. The Blotched Salamander, 
S.fasciata ; color gray, with bluish-black blotches ; length five inches ; found from Massachusetts 
to Carolina, also in Ohio. The Long-tailed Salamander, S. longicauda, length six inches ; 
found in Pennsylvania and Ohio. The Granulated Salamander, S. granulata, six to seven 
inches long, greenish-slate color ; found in Pennsylvania. The Striped-backed Salamander, 
S. hilinea ta, three inches long, brownish-yellow ; found from New York to Pennsylvania, and also 
in Ohio. The Red Salamander, 8. ruhra^ four and a half inches long, red, with numerous black 
dots ; a common species in the Middle States. The Scarlet Salamander, S. coccinea, two to 
six inches in length, bright scarlet ; found in "Western New York. The Blue-spotted Sala- 
mander, S. glutinosa, four to six inches long, bluish-black; found from Massachusetts to Penn- 
sylvania, and also in Ohio. 
There are several other species of these curious little animals in the Middle, Southern, and 
Western States. 
