COMMON WARTY-NEWT. 



139 



flattened toes, of which the third is the longest, then the 

 second, then the fourth, and the first is the shortest. Hinder 

 feet longer and thicker than the fore, each with five toes, of 

 which the first is the shortest, the fifth longer, then the se- 

 cond, the third and fourth being equal, and the longest. 

 The upper parts of the animal are blackish brown, or yel- 

 lowish brown, with darker round spots ; under parts bright 

 reddish orange, with round black spots ; sides dotted with 

 white ; sides of the tail, particularly in the male sex, of a 

 beautiful shining pearly white, which, like the rest of the 

 colours, becomes brighter in the spring. 



In the breeding-season the male acquires a deep, flexible, 

 indented crest, which extends the whole length of the back, 

 along the mesial line. It is separated from the correspond- 

 ing crest of the tail by a distinct hiatus. The crest is of a 

 lighter colour than the back. It is confined to the male, 

 and disappears during the winter. 



Dimensions : — 



In. Lines. 

 Total length . . . . .56 



Length of the head and body- 

 Length of the tail . 



3 



2 



3 



4 



Wter titer* ' 



