362 THE VIVARIUM. 
water (either in cask, pond, or stream), which is seen to contain 
Entomostraca. The water holding these creatures is then ladled 
into the vessel, and when the latter is full, the siphon is set 
running. It will readily be seen that as the water flows out of 
the bottle, it leaves the water-fleas and their relatives behind. 
When the water has thus been kept running for, say a quarter- 
of-an-hour, a great number of small crustaceans will be found in 
the vessel, sufficient to last many young Salamanders several 
days. The vessel, deprived of the siphon, may be kept near the 
tadpoles—and as they need food a small quantity of the water in 
the vessel, which is now alive with innumerable crustaceans, is 
emptied carefully into the dish or tray containing the tadpoles. 
As the little Batrachians grow they will eat tiny pieces of meat or 
small garden worms. 
The fore-legs of the tadpoles will be produced first, then the hind 
ones, and lastly, the external gills are absorbed. When it is seen 
that the young Salamanders are assuming the adult form, the vessel 
in which they are confined should be so arranged that they can 
leave the water. It must, however, have a perforated cover of some 
kind, or the young Salamanders will be certain to escape. At this 
age, like young Frogs and Toads, they are wonderful climbers. 
As soon as the Salamanders cease to be purely aquatic animals 
they will eat nothing but live food, such as garden worms, slugs, 
mealworms, cockroaches, and woodlice. Their metamorphosis is 
accomplished im from three to five months, according to the 
quantity and suitability of their food, and to the care which has 
been bestowed upon them. 
It is wise to keep the young Salamanders in a Vivarium by 
themselves until they are nearly fully grown; for these creatures 
are prone to act the part of cannibals. The Vivarium for Sala- 
manders should be out of the reach of the rays of the sun, and it 
ought to contain an easily accessible vessel holding a shallow 
quantity of soft water, some growing plants, such as ferns, 
Tradescantia, and the like, and pieces *of cork, stones, or tiles 
under which the Batrachians can hide. | 
The Salamanders, like toads, have a bitter, and, to a certain 
extent, poisonous secretion which acts as a means of defence 
against the attacks of carnivorous animals. 
