392 THE VIVARIUM. 
China. It is therefore now known to be an inhabitant of some of 
the lakes, rivers, and streams of Japan and China. It is nowhere 
very abundant. It seems to prefer for its breeding-places small 
mountain streams at considerable elevation above the sea. 
The older Batrachians generally live under water among rocks 
and tangles of aquatic weeds, while the younger ones take refuge 
in holes in the banks. 
For so large an animal, the female of the JZ. maximus lays very 
small eggs, which are supposed to be deposited during the months 
of August and September. The Tadpoles lose their branchize 
before they (the Tadpoles) are 6in. in length. And when the gill 
openings have become closed the young resemble their parents in 
almost every particular. 
Dr. Siebold started for Europe in 1829, bringing with him two 
living specimens of the Gigantic Salamander, a male and a female. 
After a time the supply of fresh-water fish which had been 
procured as food for the Salamanders was consumed, and the 
male, under the influence of hunger, devoured his mate. The 
survivor ultimately arrived safely in Holland, where it lived in 
captivity for more than half a century. It died at Amsterdam in 
the year 1881. 
Since then many of these huge Batrachians have been brought 
to Europe, and have lived in the various zoological gardens for 
numbers of years. There is at the present moment, I believe, a 
fine specimen in the Reptile House, Regent’s Park, London, 
which has been in confinement since 1884. 
These Salamanders, while in captivity, may be kept in a tank 
of fresh water. The tank, of course, should be of such dimensions 
as are suited to the size of its occupants. No island or landing- 
place need be prepared, as these creatures seldom voluntarily 
leave the water. The bottom of the tank ought to be covered 
with a layer of coarse and clean river sand to a depth of about 6in.; 
over this there should be water of at least 1ft. in depth. If the 
water reaches within a few inches of the top edges of the tank, 
there should be a cover of perforated zinc or glass, for these 
Batrachians may climb out of the tank and hurt themselves by 
falling upon the floor of the building in which their aquarium 
stands. 
