Article X. — Notes on Illinois Reptiles and Amphibians, includ- ing several Species not before recordedJrom the Northern States. By H. Garman. Emys meleagris, Shaw. This fine turtle was as late as 1870 rather common about water on the prairies of central Illinois. It is now very rare, only one example having been taken by me in the past six years. Chrysemijs belli^ Gray. Very common in the sloughs of the bottom-land at Quincy. It has not been taken elsewhere in the State. Closely related to C. marginata, but I have not seen in many hundred painted turtles examined during eight years' collecting, an intermediate example. The species is not included in Dr. Jordan's Manual of Vertebrates of the Northern United States. Chrysenn/s marginata, Ag. Very abundant in ponds and lakes throughout Illinois. It is much like G. belli, but may be distinguished by the different markings of the plastron. It has probably been mistaken for the eastern C. picta, a species which has been recorded from Illinois, but which I am inclined to believe does not occur in the State. Pseudemys troosti, Holbr. Not common anywhere within our limits. Three fine ex- amples taken by the writer from a pool on an island in the Mississippi River at Quincy are the only ones in the State Lab- oratory collection. It occurs also in the lower Wabash region. Pseudemys concinna, LeC. This is a southern terrapin closely related to the edible P. rugosa. A fine large example was sent me some years ago from Mt. Carmel, HI., where it was captured by my friend, Dr. J. Schenck. Several others have been observed in the same locality. The extralimital distribution of the species includes all the States from North Carolina to Texas. It occurs also, according to Prof. Louis Agassiz, in Arkansas and Missouri 186 Illinois State Laboratory of Natural History. The Illinois example, a large, finely-developed one, is abnormal in the possession o£ a pair of symmetrical supernumerary mar- ginal plates, one on each side of the nuchal plate, making thirteen for each side and twenty-six in all. The serrated mandible will distinguish the species from the P. hierogJyphica, which also occurs at Mt. Carmel. Not mentioned in Dr. Jordan's Manual of Vertebrates. Malacoclemmys lesueuri. Gray. Very abundant in all our rivers, where it is known as the mud turtle. The head of this turtle is rather small, and the jaws are narrow compared with those of the next species. It may always be distinguished from M. geographicus by a comma- shaped yellow spot behind each eye. In some examples these may be isolated, but in that case their transverse position is characteristic. There is no tympanal stripe like that of the next species. The dorsal plates are sometimes said to be imbricated, but this is hardly exact, since the sutures between the plates are always visible. The food of examples taken from bottom-land pools at Quincy in 1888, consisted largely of the bulbs of a sedge which Prof. T. J. Burrill thinks is Cyperns phymatodes. Occasional remains of mollusks and crayfish were also noted in stomachs. Malacoclemmys geographicus., LeS. Equally common with the preceding and frequenting the same waters. Very different from M. lesueuri when adult, and easily distinguished at all stages. The head of fully grown examples is as large as that of snapping turtles of the same size. The alveolar surfaces of the jaws are greatly expanded, those of the upper jaw forming elevated tables into which the palatine bones enter largely, and which have sharp inner mar- gins which almost meet at the middle line. The characteristic marks are a spot of greenish yellow behind each eye, which is isolated and directed longitudinally, and a stripe of the same color which originates on the tympanum and extends down- wards, then backwards, upon the neck. The great expansion of the jaws is related to the food habits. An examination of numerous stomachs shows it to feed upon mollusks. Illinois Reptiles and Amphibians. 187 Ophisauras ventralis, Linn. Formerly common on the prairies of the central part of the State, but now being rapidly exterminated there by the close grazing and cultivation of the land. Still rather common in southern Illinois. Oligosoma laferale.. Say. Occasional in Southern Illinois, Agh'strodon piscivorifs, Holbr. Extremely common in bottom-land pools along the Missis- sippi River in southern Illinois. Coluber constrictor, Bd. & Gir. The prairie form of this species is of a dull slate-color above, becoming blue on the sides and belly. It is known everywhere as the blue racer. In southern Illinois the more slender black variety is common. The " black snake " of the prairie regions is very frequently a different species,—the Elaphis obsoletus. Eiitamia radix., Bd. & Gir. In the latest edition of his Manual of the Vertebrate Ani- mals of the Northern U. S., etc., Prof. Jordan gives the distri- bution of this serpent as "Wis. to Oregon." It is certainly very common in the central part of Illinois, as far south as Champaign county. I have not seen it in Kentucky. Tropidoclonium Uneata, Hallowell. This is the type of Hallo well's genus Microps (preoccupied) and of Cope's genus Tropidoclonium. The anal plate is entire, while in Begina kirtlcoidi, a species often placed in the genus Tropidoclonium, it is divided. Three examples were taken at Urbana, Illinois, in April, 1889. The largest of these meas- ured 13^ inches in length, and was thus considerably larger than the example from which the original description was drawn. The three examples from Illinois differ from Hallo- well's type in that the eye is above the third supralabial plate, not above the third and fourth. Head small, not marked off from the body. Eye very small. One nasal plate, grooved below the nostril. Loreal present. One anteorbital; two postorbitals; two small internasals; two prefrontals. Frontal longer than broad, sides nearly par- 188 Illinois State Laboratory of Natural Historij. allel. Six suprHliiliials (seven on one side in one of the exam- ples), third and fourth largest, eye above the third, the fifth crowded away from the margin. Dorsal scales in nineteen rows, three outer rows with scales smooth and shining, first row with no carinas;, second row with very faint carina?. Ven- trals 138-150. Subcaudals 26-34 pairs, the first number being from an example in which the tail was probably imperfect. Color above dark brown, with a gray stripe one and two half scales wide extending from occiput to tip of tail. Three outer rows of scales gray, each scale of the first row with a black spot at base. Head olive brown above; supralabials gray. Be- neath ranging from whitish in small examples to gray in the largest one. Each ventral plate of the largest example with a transverse black spot in the middle of its base, each spot after the first ten or so, notched behind at its middle. Towards the vent the notches grow deeper, and a short distance before, it, separate the spots into two. In the smaller examples these spots are all divided. Subcaudals, each with a black basal spot in the largest example; wanting in the smaller ones. This is not the first record of the occurrence of this serpent north of the Ohio River. In Dr. Yarrow's list of the reptiles and batrachians in the United States National Museum, I find "Hughes, Ohio," given as the locality for an example. It bears a superficial resemblance to species of Storeria. Not mentioned in Dr. Jordan's Manual of Vertebrates. Hijdrops ahacurm^. Gray. A fine example of this beautiful serpent is in the State Laboratory collection from Union county. •' Bana palustris, LeC. The only examples which I have seen from the State were collected by me some years ago in the western part of Union county, in southern Illinois. They differed from all the east- ern examples I have examined, in having the two central longi- tudinal rows of spots completely fused in two broad stripes. The species does not occur on the prairies. Bona pipims, Schreber. This is the B. virescens and B. halecina of authors. The prairie variety is of a decided green above, with large spots Illinois Reptiles and Amphibians. 189 encircled with white. The vocal sacs are very small, and no evidence of their presence is visible from without. The note is a low gutteral croak quite unlike that of the eastern variety, as described by Prof. E. D, Cope (Standard Natural History). In southern Illinois and along the Mississippi River is a variety generally of a coppery color with small spots, the anterior of the three, so conspicuous on the head of the prairie variety, being generally wanting, Hyla ciiierea, Schn. An example of this beautiful tree-frog was taken from lily pads at the edge of Bluff Lake, Union county, Illinois, some years ago. Judging by the frequency with which the peculiar bell-like note was heard at the time, the species is common in the locality. The single example taken conforms more closely with the variety scDi/fasciafa than with the type forms of the species. It differs from the latter in its greater size, and in that the lateral pale stripe terminates on the middle of the side. It is not mentioned in Dr. Jordan's Manual. Chorophilus triseriatus, Wied. This is the characteristic prairie "tree-frog." It is always found upon the ground or in the water, and never, as far as I have observed, mounts upon vegetation. It occurs in very great abundance in ponds and ditches in early spring, being the first of the ecaudate forms to appear. The most nearly musical of all our amphibians, Bufo lenticiinosiis, Shaw, Two very different varieties of this species occur in Illinois, On the prairies is found a large sluggish toad which gathers in great numbers in the ponds after the salamanders and tree-frogs are gone. Its skin is extremely warty, and the ventral surface is mottled with black, often so closely as to give the prevailing color. Its note is a high prolonged trill. In the south part of the State is a more active toad with a smoother skin and white ventral surface, with at most a black spot on the chest. The note of this variety is a singular squawk which it is hardly possible to represent in words. This variety is the only toad which occurs in Kentucky. I have seen no inter- gradation of the two, and am inclined to think they may be 190 Illinois State Laboratory of Natural Histori/. distinct species. The northern form is probably the B. le.ntig- inosus, var. americanus^ and the southern form the var. len- tiginosus of authors, Diemyctyhts viridescens^ Raf. Rather common in southern Illinois, but never observed on the prairies of the central counties. The relation of D. viridescens and D. miniatiis as forms of one species appears to have been conclusively established by several observers. Amblystoma microstomiim, Cope. Not rare in the prairie ponds in spring, becomino; com- moner eastward. A good Amblystoma. Amblystoma firjrinum, Green. This is the commonest salamander of the temporary ponds on the prairies of Illinois. Thousands collect in these to breed, as soon as the snow disappears in spring. The shallow water sometimes freezes after they have resorted to it, and many are then destroyed. The eggs are laid in large masses attached to dead vegetation. The very young are provided with "balan- cers" like those of the related A. pimdatum. Fully grown exam- ples still retaining rudiments of branchiae and the imperfect tongue of the larva are sometimes taken, a condition probably to be accounted for by the fact that the eggs are occasionally deposited in waters from which the young cannot readily escape. It is just possible that the larval characters might be retained by this species indefinitely in case of an enforced residence in the water. ERRATA.* Page 47, line 6, page 4H, line S, and page 4i», lines o, <), and lo Ironi bot- tom, for clifi'llus read cliteUKm. Page Tit, line 9, for OpUouea read Opilionea. Page 108, line 11, for longitudinal read circular. Page lOit, line S, for ivorms read body. Page 115, line 1, dele initial 11. Page 122, line 10, for ten read twenty. Page 13S, line Ki, for lUackisded read Black-sided. Page 185, line 13 from bottom, page 228, line 17, and page 229, line 7 from bottom, for tvoonti read troostii. Page 187, line 12 from bottom, page 272, line fi from bottom, and page 275, line 1, for kirtlandi read kirtlandii. Page 187, line 15 from bottom, for lineata read lineatum. Page 218, line 17 from bottom, for 7 read .7. Page 214, line 7, for 7 and 3 read .7 and .3. Page 224, line 13 from bottom, for Tortoise read Tortoises. Page 225, line 3, for jiicta read marginata. Page 240 line H from bottom, for 1S24 read l'S25, and before pp. insert IV. Page 242, line 8 and 12 from bottom, and page 243, line 1, tor Macro - clenn/s read Macroclemmys. Page 252, line 11, for Crematogaster read Cremastogaster. Page 269, line 22 from bottom, and page 271, line 1, tor fasciatiis read fasciata. Page 272, line 9 from bottom, and page 273, lines 7 and 14 from bottom, for grabami read graliamii. Page 293, line 13 from bottom, for elapsoidea read elapsoidens. Page 295, line and line 3 from bottom, for auKmus read anuvna. Page 349, line 3 from bottom, for A read W. Page 352, line If), for Icthyomorpha read Ichthyoniorpha. Page 353. line 4 from bottom, for Menopomidw read Cryptobranchidce . Page 3t)(i, line It), and page 3B7, line 14 from ho\Xon\, tor erythronoto read erythronotus. Page 31)7, line 8 from bottom, for relations read relation. Page 371, line 11 from bottom, for eingulata read cingatatnm. Page 378, line 7, dele period after prehension. S. Garman is antliority for last sentence of paragraph only. Page 385, line 4 from bottom, dele comma after its. Page 410, line 18 from bottom, for suhlata read suhidaia. Page 411, line 11, for hrmalmlata read bimaculata. Page 431, line Itifrom bottom, for nmtica read mnticHs. Page 435, line 12 froni bottom, for t/uerci read (juercHs Page 441, line 19, for Salamandra read salamandnt. Page 451, line 14 from bottom, for Anonophom read Aronopliora. Page 4S(), line 4, for liinahta read limbata. Page 494, line 2 from bottom, and page 195, lines 13 and HI, lor lineattis read lineata. *See also pp. 17s is] of Article Xl\ . ADDENDA AND ERRATA. To coiiiplete the list of species recogiii/.cil by St«•-)) 480 Illinois iState Laboratory of Natural History. Page 400, between lines IJ and 10 insert as follows: 1851. Cyphonia redispina. Walk. List Horn. B. M. 597, 6; line 19, for postfaciata read posffasciata. Page 401, line 4, for huhalus read diceros. Page 402, at bottom of page add as follows: 1891. Ceresa huhalus. Fletcher, Rep. Ent. and Bot. Can. 191. 1892. Ceresa huhalus. Osb. Trans. la. Hort. Soc. 119, fig. 30. 1893. Ceresa biihalus. Osb. Fruit and Forest Tree Ins. 24, fig. 80. Page 403, line 21, for the interrogation point substitute a period; between lines 2 and 3 from bottom insert as follows: 1892. Ceresa taurina. Osb, Trans. la. Hort. Soc. 119. 1893. Ceresa taurina. Osb. Fruit and Forest Tree Ins. 24. Page 409, between lines 4 and 5 from bottom insert as fol- lows: Stictocephala gillettei, $. Godg. Ent. News, iii, 200. Page 411, line 2, for nigripes, Stal, read numda, Walk.; be- tween lines 2 and 3 insert as follows : 1858. Parmula munda. Walk. List Hom. B. M. Suppl. 152; line 4, for Mex. {Stdl), read Mex. and Guatemala ( Walk.). Page 412, between lines 11 and 12 from bottom insert as follows : 1892. Thelia cratwgi. Osb. Trans. la. Hort. Soc. 119. 1893. Thelia cratcegi. Osb. Fruit and Forest Tree Ins. 24. Page 413, line 12 from bottom, and page 414, line 1, for acuminata read acuminatus. Page 414, line 11, for Hyphina read Hyphinoe. Page 416, line 8 from bottom, for Telamona read Mem- bracis. Page 417, line 1, for 1841 read 1851. Page 422, between lines 8 and 9 insert as follows : 1892. Telamona niexicana? Godg. Ent. News, iii, 108. Page 424, line 9, for toj) read tips. Described Memhracidce of North America. 481 Page 425, line 6, dele " fig." ; line 2 from bottom, for galata read gahata. Page 427, line 4 from bottom, ior Membracis read Acutalis. Page 429, line 15, after '' lower " insert edge. Pages 435 and 436. Note.— An examination of the types shows that numbers 122 to 126 belong to Cyrtolobus. Page 437. After the numbers 128, 129, and 130, for A. read E. * Page 441, line 17 from bottom, for V. read Ama&tris'\; line 4 from bottom, insert (?) before V. Page 442, between lines 8 and 9 insert as follows : 1851. Thelia exjjansa. Walk. List. Hom. B. M. 563, 26; between lines 14 and 15 from bottom, insert as follows: Thelia mar- morata. Walk. List. Hom. B. M. 555, 4. Page 444, line 15 from bottom, after "scar" insert as fol- lows: Apical cell much longer than in marmorata, the length ex- ceeding the breadth more than twice, while in marmorata the cell is but a little longer than broad; line 14 from bottom, after '' fuliginous" and '"yellow" substitute semicolons for commas; line 7 from bottom, after " process," add as follows: in not being suddenly depressed a short distance before apex, in not having the median carina flat from this depression, and in being much more depressed anteriorly. Page 445, line 8. Note.—Through the kindness of Rev. W. W. Fowler, of Lincoln, England, I have had the opportunity to examine St3,rs type of the genus Optilete, and, as surmised, it proves to be a typical marmorata, Say. Between lines 16 and 17 from bottom insert as follows: 1851. Hemij)tycha longicor- nis. Walk. List Hom. B. M. 569, 7. Page 449, line 10 from bottom. Note.— Walker's Darnis lineola belongs to Phacusa {Fide Fowler). Page 452, No. 181, for prunitia, Butler, read hastata, St4l (A*c?e Fowler). * Ashmeadea being preoccupied, the name was changed to Ev- ashmeadea. t A more careful study of the species places it in Amaatris.