_Spelerpes._–Except in a few species the limbs are well developed and possess 4 fingers and 5 toes, which are either free or webbed. But in the Colombian _S. parvipes_, still more in _S. lineolus_ of Orizaba and _S. uniformis_ of Costa Rica the limbs and digits are reduced to mere vestiges, and are practically without function, the body, with the extremely long tail, having assumed a wormlike shape. The young of many, if not all, species have a pair of short balancers below each nostril; in the adult these organs are reduced to little swellings or lost completely. Several species are lungless, see p. 46. The geographical distribution of this genus, of which some twenty species are known, is very remarkable. The majority live in Mexico and in the United States, a few are found in Colombia and Northern Peru (_S. altamazonicus_ and _Plethodon platense_ being the only Urodeles hitherto recorded from south of the equator), one in Hayti (_S. infuscatus_), two (_S. subpalmatus_ and _S. uniformis_) in Costa Rica, and _S. fuscus_ in Europe. _S. bilineatus_ is a little newt under 4 inches in length–60-95 mm.–found in the Atlantic States. It is brownish-yellow above, with a black lateral line extending from the eye to nearly the end of the tail. The under parts are bright yellow. It lives on land, in damp places, concealed during the daytime under stones or old trees, whence it emerges after a rain or in the dusk of evening. According to H. H. Wilder,[49] "the eggs are deposited in May and June in a single layer upon the lower side of submerged stones, each batch containing 30 to 50 eggs. The stones which are suitable for this purpose must be in the form of an arch, allowing the water to flow beneath. They are generally in the more rapidly flowing portions of the brook, but the depth of water must be such that the eggs are at all times entirely submerged. They are attached to the stone by gelatinous threads, proceeding from the outer envelope, and although they are generally contiguous, they {105}are each attached separately." The eggs are holoblastic. The larvae hatch early and continue for a long time in the larval state, probably two or three years. _S. porphyriticus_ s. _salmoneus._–Yellowish-brown or purplish-grey above with tiny darker dots and markings. The sides of the body are salmon-coloured, with a tinge of yellow. The under parts are whitish, turning into salmon-pink on the tail. This beautiful newt reaches about 6 inches in length and has a very moist, slimy skin, which, combined with the lively motions of the creature, make it as slippery as an eel. It is found in the Alleghany range, from New York to Alabama.