8 THE SALAMANDER 



the principal external factor is temperature, which has a marked 

 positive influence. Larvae born in the autumn may remain unchanged 

 right through the winter. 



The Salamander does not reach sexual maturity until 4-5 years 

 after metamorphosis, by which time it will have attained a length of 

 rather less than 200 mm. Ahl (1930) gives 285 mm. as the maxi- 

 mum length, but this must be regarded as exceptional, 150-200 

 mm. being much more common. 



5. Habits of the Adult. 



The adults are rarely seen during the day-time except after a warm 

 thunder shower, when they may suddenly appear in vast numbers. 

 Otherwise they spend the day under stones, in holes, or under moss or 

 fallen tree-trunks, and come out at dusk to feed. Their normal diet 

 consists largely of insects, e.g. beetles and beetle larvae, and also 

 slugs and worms, but Jacobshagen (19 14) reports finding con- 

 siderable quantities of moss and other plants in the stomachs of some 

 individuals. Schreiber (19 12) says that Salamandra salamandra 

 usually occurs on sandstone and marl, and is rarely found on sandy 

 or chalky bases. They frequently occur in pine forests on the lower 

 slopes of the mountains below 3,000 ft., and rarely up to 4,000 ft. 

 During the winter they congregate in large numbers, often several 

 hundreds together, under an overhanging rock, or in a hollow tree- 

 trunk or some similar place. They get sluggish in cold weather, but 

 their hibernation is only slight, and they not infrequently come out 

 during a warm spell. In general they favour moist places and a 

 humid atmosphere with moderate temperature, and shun the sun- 

 light. No data are available concerning the length of life in nature, 

 but records have been made which show that individuals have lived 

 in captivity for as long as 1 8 and 20 years (Ahl, 1 930 ; Mehlsheimer, 

 1911). 



6. Geographical Distribution. 



The geographical distribution of the species is fairly well indi- 

 cated in the next section which deals with the several varieties. 

 Schreiber (19 12) gives 53j° N. as the northern limit, i.e. a line 

 drawn from Lauenburg through Liineburg and Bremen to Olden- 

 burg. From here it spreads south-westwards through Holland and 

 Belgium, over France, Spain, and Portugal. Southwards it is found 

 all over Germany and Austria, in Italy and on the Balkan peninsula, 

 in Greece and Turkey. It does not extend eastwards of the Carpa- 

 thians. Isolated instances of its occurrence have been reported from 



