144 salamandradjE. 



Lacerta metadata, Shepp. in Linn. Trans. VII. p. 53. Turton, Brit. 



Faun. p. 79. 

 Salamandra punctata, Daud. Rept. VIII. p. 267. Latr. Salam.de France, 



p. 53, sp. 6, t. vi. f. 6. 

 « Triton Palustris, Laur. Spec. Med. pp. 39, 145, t. iv. f. 2. 

 „ aquaticus, Flem. Brit. Anim. p. 158, sp. 7. 

 „ punctatus, Fitzing. Nat. Class. Rept. p. 66, sp. 8. Bonap. Icon. 



Faun. Ital. Jenyns, Brit. Vert. p. 304. 

 Molge punctata, Merr. Syst. Amph. p. 186, sp. 4. 



Brown Lizard, Penn. Brit. Zool. III. p. 23, t. ii. 



The size of this small and common species would distin- 

 guish it at once from the former in its adult state, and from 

 younger individuals it may be readily known by the differ- 

 ence of colour, and the absence of all warts and tubercles 

 on the skin, which is, indeed, almost as smooth as that of 

 the Frog. This latter character has led me to believe that 

 the two forms might with great propriety be considered 

 as generically distinct, upon the same principle as that 

 which has led to the separation of the Toads from the 

 Frogs ; although it must be confessed that, in the latter 

 case, the habits of the two groups oifer a much greater 

 discrepancy, the relations between the Frogs and Toads 

 presenting rather an analogy with that between the smooth 

 Newts and the true or terrestial Salamanders. Thus a 

 tolerably continuous chain of affinity may be traced from 

 the smooth Newts, through the tuberculated Newts, and 

 the G-eotritons of the Prince of Canino, to the true terres- 

 trial form of the Salamanders, which last are even more 

 strikingly characterized by a tuberculated and porous skin 

 than either of the other forms. 



The Common, or Small Newt, is found in almost every 

 ditch and pond, esj^ecially in those in which the waters 

 are clean, in considerable numbers ; and affords food to the 

 larger species just described, as well as to different kinds 

 of fish. Its own food consists of small aquatic insects, 



