366 ANIMAL REPRODUCTIONS. 
middle, without feizing an extremity; but a 
quarter of an hour was occupied in the meal. 
Though newts are provided with flexible; 
jointed fingers, it is remarkable that they make 
no ufe of the hand, either to feize their prey, to 
convey it to the mouth, or retain it there. Yet 
I have never feen it done ; they never feemed to 
ufe their hands for this, or any thing elfe indeed; 
but {wimming (1). 
They firft feem to fix their eyes on their ey 
and immediately dart upon it open mouthed ; 
and when once feized, it very feldom efcapes. 
The fucceflive motions of deglutition are very 
fenfible ; it is performed by gentle fhocks, as we 
have juft remarked. I have not obferved newts 
fearch for prey; they take it when it occurs in 
their way, or is juft befide them. A newt having: 
devoured a large.earth worm, I fupplied it with 
another above four inches long, and thick in pro- 
portion. It immediately fwallowed the whole, ex- 
cept a line or two that hung out of the mouth; 
but the worm was foon thrown up, and the fame 
repeated twice, yet the worm {till lived. 
It 
(1) Neither do toads, which have alfo articulated fin- 
gers, make any ufe of them. However, I have feen one 
fmall {pecies, which profited by their affiftance, to retain 
the prey while devouring it. 
