HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



269 



upon the palatal region of the mouth, and upon the 

 splenial element of the lower jaw. The tail, which 

 resembles that of the water newt (Salamaudra pal- 

 metto), bears upon it an erect fin, which continues 

 along the back of the animal. The head and nose 

 are broad, the eyes very small, and are placed in 

 contiguity to the mouth. The Axolotl rarely 

 exceeds 11 inches in length, although it has been 

 known to reach the size of 13 inches when well fed. 



During the past year I studied these creatures 

 at the late South Kensington Aquarium and else- 

 where, in order to learn the nature of their habits 

 and characteristics. 



I find they are sluggish, lazy animals, being more 

 fish than reptile. Their capacity for climbing is 



havoc amongst ova and fry, while encumbered with 

 their umbilical sac. At times they are exceedingly 

 voracious in their habits, insomuch that I have seen 

 one attack a gold fish about three inches long, and 

 holding it firmly by the head in its jaws, strive its 

 utmost for upwards of six hours to demolish it. At 

 the end of that time, finding the attempt impractica- 

 ble, the Axolotl with difficulty disgorged it, owing, 

 probably, to asphyxia setting in. The gold fish was 

 of course lifeless, and minus its eyes, which doubtless 

 had been removed by suction. I find that Axolotl 

 swallow without mastication, but their power of 

 retaining their hold upon their prey is very great, as 

 they will allow themselves to be dragged bodily out 

 of the water rather than forego the object upon which 





Fig. 143. — Axo!dtl. 



extraordinary, seeing that they can mount a smooth 

 perpendicular wall, three feet in height, or any object, 

 no matter how smooth its surface. They are very 

 sensitive to sound, or any disturbing influence, and 

 on becoming apprehensive of danger, move rapidly 

 about in a kind of frenzy. They are able to locomote 

 very swiftly by the aid of their fins, tails and feet, 

 and when in active motion present an extraordinary 

 sight. Their visual organs and mouth are adapted 

 to their grovelling existence and mode of extricating 

 food, such as worms, crustaceans, &c, from a con- 

 siderable depth in the earth. Their mouths are 

 small in comparison with the size of their heads, so 

 that they cannot prove very destructive to fish, though 

 they are very fond of such diet, and play considerable 



Fig. 144. — Axol6d (side view), a, Mouth, open, showing teeth. 



they are feeding. This I proved in the case of the 

 gold-fish referred to, by taking hold of its tail with 

 a view to extricating it from the jaws of the Axolotl, 

 but without success. 



The Axolotl is regarded by many as a fish, and 

 indeed, its characteristics are apt to strengthen one 

 in this belief. It is certainly more like a fish than 

 any member of the Batrachian family ; nearly all of 

 which cannot exist entirely in water or on land, but 

 must alternate their movements from one to the 

 other. 



Now, I find that the Axolotl is capable of living 

 permanently either in water or on land, as I shall 

 proceed to show. Throughout the summer I main- 

 tained one of these creatures entirely in water, where 

 it thrived and increased about half-an-inch in length. 

 In the autumn I removed it from the water and 

 placed it in a perfectly dry receptacle, where it has 

 remained ever since. In has in nowise suffered from 

 the change, and appears quite naturalised to its 

 terrestrial existence. I have lined the bottom of its 

 habitat with earth, which I moisten from time to 

 time in order to cause the worms that I have placed 

 therein for the animal's consumption, to rise to the 

 surface, and thus afford it an opportunity to obtain a 

 meal. Unless hungry, it never exerts itself to seize 

 the worms when they appear, or, if it does, in a very 

 half-hearted fashion, so that they easily escape. 



