85 
out of the mud, except to get the worms on which they 
principally live. The menobranchus or proteus is from the 
fresh-water streams and lakes of the Middle States, and feeds 
upon worms, grubs, and larvae. 
The Hell Bender or Mud Devil ( Cryptobranchus a/leghe- 
niensis ) is found in the river mud of all tributaries of the 
Mississippi, and occasionally in other localities in the Gulf 
States. 
The salamanders and tritons, or newts, are found plenti¬ 
fully all over the United States. Many of them live entirely 
in the water, except at the breeding season. The Red- 
backed Salamander ( Plethodon cinereus erythronotus), the 
Two-lined Salamander ( Spelerpes bilineatus ), the Red 
Salamander (S. ruber), the Black Newt (. Desmognathus 
nigra), and the Spotted Newt ( Diemyctylus viridescens) are 
among the most common species. 
A very beautiful species, with bright yellow spots, is the 
Spotted Salamander of Europe ( S. maculosa). There are a 
number of other European species belonging to the genus 
Molge. 
A number of curious amphibians ( Amblystoma iigrina), 
from the elevated plateaus in the western United States, will 
be found in the vivarium. Their larval form, has large gill 
tufts and a crest along the spine and tail. These shrink up 
and disappear when the animal becomes mature. 
The largest member of this group is the Giant Salamander 
{Cryptobranchus maximus) of Japan, which reaches some¬ 
times a length of four feet. They are sluggish animals, feeding 
but seldom in captivity, and appear to be intolerant of light, 
becoming uneasy whenever the shade protecting them from 
the direct rays of the sun is removed. 
The toads and frogs have a range co-extensive with the 
salamanders; the Common Toad {Bufo lentiginosus) being 
found all over North America, with a number of well-marked 
varieties. 
The best known of the frogs are the Bull Frog (Rana 
catesbiana), the Swamp Frog ( R. palustris), the Brook Frog 
(. R . clamitans ), and the Spring Frog (R. virescens). 
The North American fauna possesses a large and varied 
number of serpents ( Ophidia), of which order over sixteen 
hundred species are found throughout the world. The only 
