304 ANIMAL REPRODUCTIONS. 
they rife to the furface for refpiration, and, after 
difcharging feveral large air bubbles, immediately 
dive to the bottom. Thefe little quadrupeds are 
perfeCtly innocent, and may be handled with 
fafety. I have often held them without the {mal- 
left attempt to bite. I have even mutilated them. 
in my hand with impunity. ‘This remark is ne- 
ceflary, becaufe there is a prejudice general a- 
mong country people, that newts are very dan-. 
gerous animals (1). 
Il. Food.—The newt is carnivorous ; it feems 
to care for living infects only, and is induced by 
the motions of the prey to feize it. In this it re-. 
fembles fpiders and ant-lions, which refufe to 
touch dead infects. 
Thefe animals can fupport the want of food 
very long. Some of mine have lived two months. 
without it. Sig. Spallanzani had remarked the. 
fame ; and obferved that, although long deprived _ 
of nutriment, they reproduced their members e- 
qually well as thofe plentifully fupplied with fuf- 
tenance. 
In my opinion, no infect is better adapted for 
food than the earth worm: we may almoft af- 
firm, that nature has purpofely prepared it for 
feeding various animals. There are few places 
where worms do not abound; and as they may 
be 
_ (1) M. de Maupertuis firk proved that newts are per- 
featly innocent. /Mem. de I’ Academ. de Paris, 1727. 
