126 The Field Naturalist 's Quarterly May 



the egg is covered with a sticky secretion the leaf readily 

 adheres to it. After having rested for a short time, this 

 producer and careful disposer of batrachian eggs will seek for 

 another suitable leaf and repeat the operation just described. 



As the embryo within the glutinous envelope in which 

 it floats and rotates grows, the leaf begins slowly to unfold, 

 showing as it does so more and more of the egg, and so 

 allows the interesting development of the young creature 

 it contains to be watched, if wished, by the help of a magni- 

 fying-glass, through the sides of an aquarium. 



Within a few days, according to the temperature of the 

 water, the young newt, as it grows within the egg, gradually 

 folds in half, and at the same time gills slowly appear on the 

 sides of its neck. As the little batrachian gains strength its 

 movements become more and more vigorous, until by one 

 stroke it is able to burst the envelope by which it is impris- 

 oned, and thus attains its freedom. 



The newly hatched tadpole is so slender and transparent 

 that it is no easy matter to find it again, even in a small 

 aquarium, after having once lost sight of it. Indeed it would 

 very likely escape observation altogether were it not for its 

 jerky movements and its very brilliant eyes. During the 

 earliest hours of its existence the little creature's movements 

 are very erratic as it darts from spot to spot, holding on to 

 its various resting-places by means of the tiny claspers pro- 

 vided for that purpose. 



Unlike its relative, the tadpole of the frog, the young 

 newt's fore-legs appear before the hind ones. About the 

 time the latter are growing the branchiae are at their fullest 

 development, and have now become most interesting subjects 

 for the microscope, when the " branchial circulation excites 

 the greatest delight and surprise" (Bell). 



After the production of the hind-legs lungs are gradually 

 developed, while the branchiae are as gradually absorbed. 

 On the disappearance of the latter the young newt leaves 

 the water, and does not return to it until it has obtained its 

 maturity. During the three years which elapse between the 

 end of its tadpolehood and its return to the water for breed- 

 ing purposes, it lives in damp places, feeding on various 

 small creatures, and hiding under stones, in hollows, and 



