PALMATE NEWT. 1(35 



2. Hind feet having the toes 2. Hind feet perfectly pal- 

 free, only edged by a membrane, mate, all the toes united by a 



membrane. 



3. Back with a very large fes- 3. Back flattened, with two 

 tooned undulating crest, which elevated lateral lines passing 

 extends from the nape of the above the eyes, and extending 

 head to the end of the tail. No to the base of the tail. The 

 lateral elevated ridges. dorsal crest small and simple. 



4. Length much greater than 4. Size much smaller than 

 palmatus. punctatus* 



The females are more difficult to distinguish from 

 the same sex of the common smooth newt than are 

 the males ; but even these present features which 

 are characteristic, and which were indicated by Mr. 

 Wolley as supplementary to the above. Their heads 

 seem broader and shorter than in L. punctatus, and 

 the toes of their hind feet are, for the most part, 

 shorter, the males also have the former but not the 

 latter character. As to the colour, if in a genial 

 situation, the belly is usually a delicate milk-and- 

 water white, tinged more or less with yellow towards 

 the middle line ; the back and sides of the body and 

 tail are of a dark olive-green, and in some, particu- 

 larly very large specimens, are beautifully mottled 

 by a network of lighter colour. In moor land the 

 skin becomes harsh, and coloured more like the 

 females of the common newt, sometimes even to the 

 orange belly. t 



* The Zoologist, p. 2232. 

 f The Zoologist, p. 2268. 



