TAILED BATRACHIANS 255 



the male, but perfectly round in the female. The dorsal 

 crest is absent, and is replaced in both sexes by a prominent 

 vertebral ridge, produced by the great development of 

 the spinous processes of the vertebrae. 



The Japanese Newt lives for many years in captivity, and 

 is annually imported to this country in large numbers. 



The Common American Newt, M. viridescens, is very 

 abundant in the Northern and Eastern States of North 

 America. The body is rounded, without a dorsal crest, 

 but with the vertebral line much swollen. The tail is 

 much longer than the head and body, and is furnished with 

 an upper and a lower crest. The inner surface of the hind 

 limbs of the male are furnished with black rugosities. The 

 skin is smooth, or minutely tubercular. The head is 

 covered with deep pits, probably sensory organs, three on 

 each side of the head being remarkable for their size. The 

 upper parts are olive brown, with black spots ; the lower 

 surfaces are red or orange, dotted with black. 



M. viridescens^ when adult, is thoroughly aquatic, seldom 

 leaving the water, in which it feeds almost exclusively on 

 insects and small molluscs. The newly metamorphosed 

 young, which are reddish in colour, spend their existence 

 on land, concealed under stones and moss ; they do not 

 take to the water again until they reach maturity. 



The Californian Newt, M. torosa, a large form, 

 attaining seven inches in length, the commonest newt of 

 Western North America, is likewise very aquatic and does 

 well in captivity. The body, which is granular above and 

 below, is rounded and crestless ; the long tail is provided 

 with a very low upper and lower crest. The colour above 

 is uniform brown ; below, orange or yellow. 



The Pyrenean Newt, M. aspera, is restricted to the 



