BRITISH AMPHIBIANS 
along the side of his prominent caudal appendage. The 
length obtained is about 3} inches. The female slightly 
exceeds this measurement. 
Palmated Newt.—Triton palmatus (Figs. 25 and 26). 
Also known as the Webbed Newt by reason of the webbed 
toes of the male. It is the rarest of the three British 
species, and although it is found in Scotland, it is absent 
from Ireland. In haunts, breeding season, food, and 
habits it closely resembles others of its race, though a 
single egg is separately deposited in a green envelope 
made by forming a sheath from the leaf of an aquatic 
plant. ‘This tailed amphibian as it may be called is, 
like its two other relatives, of nocturnal habits, resting 
by day, feeding by night. It is very tenacious, and if 
frozen under, or even in the ice, emerges none the worse 
for its adventure. If, too, during prolonged drought 
their breeding pond becomes dried up, they have the 
power of sustaining life until such time as rain or flood 
rescues them from their muddy bed. What perhaps is 
still more remarkable, they have the habit of reproducing 
a limb if one, or more, should be lost. In Newts there 
is no actual union between the male and female, as the 
latter seizes the receptacles containing the spermatozoa 
produced by the male, and transfers them to her own 
reproductive chamber. In swimming, Newts make free 
use of the all-important tail, hence its full development 
and retention all through life. The dress is brown, or 
olive above, spotted with darker colour on the body, and 
streaked on the head. The under parts, if an orange 
48 
