1 36 Davey, English and Japanese Newts in Victoria, [vor'xxxi 



female. The males at this season are exceedingly amorous, and 

 may be seen constantly heading off the female by butting her 

 with their heads, their tails in the meantime being violently 

 lashed and rapidly coiled and uncoiled. These evolutions may 

 continue for several days. The male then emits small 

 packets of spermatozoa ; these are collected by the female, who 

 uses her hind legs for this purpose, in much the same 

 way as in egg-laying. The bunch of spermato/.ea thus finds 

 entry into the oviduct, and fertilization takes place. 



It has often been stated that newts do not shed their skins 

 during winter or on land, but 1 have frequently observed skin- 

 shedding on land and during the winter months ; but as there 

 is no true hibernation in Victoria for them, this probably 

 accounts for this winter skin-shedding. Once a male newt 

 develops its dorsal crest it never entirely loses it again, but- 

 during the winter spent on land this crest is mostly absorbed, 

 and dwindles down to small proportions. This absorption can 

 be made to take place at any time, for if a male is kept 

 from the water for a few days the crest will dwindle down to 

 the w inter proportions ; the same thing occurs if newts are kept 

 in vessels containing hard water, or even if kept in tish- 

 bowls in soft water. On the other hand, the crest can be 

 again developed by giving perfect conditions in the matter of 

 water, light, and food. 



The English Newt, Molgc cristatus, takes three years to 

 attain full size, and in Europe, so far as I can learn, it 

 does not breed before reaching that age, but the young of 

 this newt that were bred in Victoria, although not yet two 

 years of age until November, 1914, have already laid eggs 

 that have produced larvae, notwithstanding that it will take 

 another year before the parents reach full size. 



The newt, M. cristatus, only remains in the water during 

 the spring and summer months, leaving the water in early 

 autumn, and leading a purely terrestrial life, in moist situ- 

 ations. 



In March, 1913. 1 received direct from Japan several speci- 

 mens of that strikingly beautiful creature the Fire-bellied 

 Newt, Molge pyrrliogastcr. These newts are very different 

 in appearance from the various European and American 

 species. The males of this species never develop the 

 cutaneous crest on the back, and the head is nnich more toad- 

 like, being furnished with large parotid glands; the males 

 also have a wavy crenulation of skin on each side of the 

 body, and also along the ends of the ribs, which remind one 

 of that tine Spanish newt, Molgc z^'oltli : and to the uninitiated 

 the sexes are very much alike in api)earance during the winter 

 months. The males during the breeding season are very 

 prettily adorned. The throat and belly are of a beautiful 

 fiery crimson, with small black, irregular markings; the jaws 



