128 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



never again to see it ; or, indeed, any other iu this 

 aquarium. Subsequent experience proved that the 

 minute newt-tadpole was included in the frog- 

 tadpole's bill of fare, which, by the way, is very 

 comprehensive, a disabled member of its own 

 community not being objected to. The aquarium 

 liad a few days pi'eviously been cleaned out, the 

 plants thinned, and a few sprigs of CallitricJie venia, 

 which had some of their leaves folded down, and 

 kept iu that position, I had placed iu a sniall bottle 

 with water. On looking at them I found the 

 Jeaves a little separated, and within the cnfoldure 



Fig:. 92. C«W(')-fc7ie werno, with leaves containing ova of Newt. 



something resembling a small caterpillar snugly 

 coiled up in its cocoon. Suspecting what they 

 really were, I kept a close watch on their develop- 

 ment, and was not disappointed, as they proved to 

 be the young of the Newt, and were curious and 

 interesting objects for study. The following is my 

 diary of observation : — 



June 12 (11 a.m.).— One of the germs, which I 

 suppose to be those of the Smooth Newt, was 

 hatched. It was about three-eighths of an inch long ; 

 head obtuse, rounded; eyes large and brilliant, 

 black, with bright golden iridcs : colour of body, 

 pale yellow or amber ; two dark-coloured streaks, 

 commencing on head, and combining at tlie point 

 where the tail commences, were continued to its 

 end, which was as fine as a needle's point. Under- 

 neath was a dark streak, formed, I think, by the 

 intestines ; behind the head, on either side, was a 

 delicate fringe — the hranclna (breathing organs). 



consisting of several points directed outward and 

 backward, and so transparent as barely to be 

 visible. Erom the same point, along the centre of 

 the back, ran a fin, more transparent still — so 

 transparent as to be invisible, except in certain 

 lights, and with the aid of a magnifying-glass. 



Development of Germ. — It was inclosed in a globular 

 jelly-like substance, which expanded at its growth ; 



Fi?. 93. Sliowing; different stages in development of ova, k 

 from 1 to 4, &-C. • 



the two halves of the leaf separating at the same 

 time, and showing the tadpole neatly coiled up, with 

 Its head and tail in close proximity. Erom the posi- 

 tion and appearance of the eggs, [ should suppose 

 them to be covered outwardly with a glutinous sub- 

 stance, which, when the egg was laid in the fold of 

 the leaf, and the halves compressed, adhered to 

 them, thus keeping the leaf in that position. As 

 the tadpole increased in size, however, it required 

 more space, and with its growth the two portions 

 of the leaf separated, thus allowing the water a 

 freer access to the t^g, and determining its shape, 

 which appeared to be that of a perfect sphere. 

 The furthest developed one was, in its outer part, 

 the half of a perfect sphere ; while the inner half, 

 still in the double of the leaf, was compressed and 

 elongated, giving to the whole egg a pear-shape. 

 See fig. 93, a, &c. 



June 23. — The tadpole occasionally changed its 

 position in the tgg; the head and tail, liowever, 

 always keeping in same position, near together. 

 After twice rapidly changing its position in the 

 egg, the head of the tadpole burst the envelope, 

 and, after a few moments' rest, it dropped slowly 

 out, and resting with its head between a leaf and 

 the side of the bottle, was in a most favourable 

 posture for observation. I could now see the 

 brancliia: and fin with the unassisted eye, and found 

 that, in addilion to the back-fin, another ran along 

 the under-side of the tail^from the vent. After 

 remaining in this position for a few minutes, it 

 darted away stickleback-like. Immediately after 

 its coming out, the ^s^ collapsed, and on cxamina- 



