24 



SEXUAL SELECTION. 



Part IL 



Amphibians, 



Urodela. — First for the tailed amphibians. The 

 sexes of salamanders or newts often differ much both 

 in colour and structure. In some species prehensile 

 claws are developed on the fore-legs of the males 

 durino: the breedinsi-season ; and at this season in 

 the male Triton palmii:>es the hind-feet are provided 

 with a swimming web, which is almost completely 

 absorbed during the winter ; so that their feet then 



Fig. 31. Triton cristatns (half natural size, from Bell's ' British Reptiles'). 

 Upper figure, male during the breeding-season ; lower figure, female. 



resemble those of the female.^^ This structure no doubt 

 aids the male in his eager searcli and pursuit of the 

 female. With our common newts {Triton pundatus 

 and cristatus) a deep, much-indented crest is developed 

 along the back and tail of the male during the breed- 

 ing-season, being absorbed during the winter. It is 

 not furnished, as Mr. St. George Mivart informs me, 



33 Bell, ' History of British Eeptiles,' 2nd edit. 1849, p. loG-159. 



