ANIMAL REPRODUCTIONS. 365 
be divided into various pieces, and {till move, 
they are admirably fuited for the food of newts, 
Another advantage attends them, which is the 
property of remaining feveral days alive in water ; 
and it is their motion that particularly excites the 
appetite of newts. A worm prefented on the end 
of a pencil, or dropped into the water, is feized 
with a fudden motion of the animal’s jaws, and 
fwallowed alive, with gentle fhocks of the whole 
body, and efpecially of the anterior part. A 
confiderable time is occupied in {wallowing the 
worm, if itis large; and it fometimes remains 
‘two or three minutes in the newt’s mouth, fold- 
ing in various fhapes while life remains. The 
portion hanging out very much refembles a long 
thick tongue; and its numerous comtorfions ex- 
‘hibit a moft fingular fpectacle. 
My newts have always appeared to fwallow 
their prey without maftication; however, they 
have a number of very minute teeth, which un- ° 
doubtedly are not totally ufelefs; and they ferve 
to retain the prey, if attempting to efcape. 
A large worm, feized by the middle, is feldom 
fwallowed in the fame pofition, becaufe it is too 
large if doubled in the mouth; and the newt 
_ gradually fhakes it out, until it can feize one of 
the extremities ; which being accomplithed, the 
worm is foon devoured. . However I have ob- 
ferved a large one fwallow a worm taken by the 
middle, 
