NcrrES ON NOVA SCOTIAN ZOOLOGY — PIERS. 183 



Vermillion-spotted Newt (Diemyctylus viridescens).* My 

 brothers, Mr. Charlie and Sidney Piers, while tishing at Bayer's 

 Lake near the St. Margaret's Bay Road, May 21st, 1891, netted 

 one of these beautiful reptiles as it swam through the water. 

 It was a viridescent adult. I placed the animal in water and 

 observed its habits and movements, which interested me much. 

 The following pigmental description, written while it was alive, 

 should be of advantage, as specimens immersed in alcohol lose 

 certain of their colours which are extracted or altered by the 

 spirit : 



Whole animal with exception of top and sides of head and 

 portions of legs, spotted or punctured, in a greater or less 

 degree, with black. Above, olive brown, slightly darker on back 

 and head. Obscure superciliary line of a colour lighter than 

 upper part of head. On each side of the vertebrae are three 

 crimson spots encircled with black. They are not, however, 

 regularly opposite each other. The anterior one on the left side 

 is a little posterior to the fore-leg ; the second one on the same 

 side is 17 of an inch behind the anterior one; and the third or 

 posterior one is -30 of an inch behind the second. On the right 

 side the anterior spot is opposite the second spot on left side ; 

 the second is -23 of an inch behind the first ; and the posterior 

 one is opposite the posterior one on the left side. Beneath, 

 yellowish, lighter on under side of head. Lower half of tail not 

 much lighter than upper half. Line of demarcation between 

 the olive-brown of the upper part of animal and the yellowish 

 colour of the lower portion, is fairly distinct; it proceeds from 

 the snout along the sides of the head and body to the anus 

 (which is a little posterior to the hind-legs.) Irides golden with 

 black mark across. 



Snout to fore-leg '55 ins. 



hind-leg 1-40 " 



" anterior crimson spot on left side . . . "70 " 



*This Newt was formerly a great puzzle to naturalists, and its red, yellow-red, viridescent, or 

 intermediate phases of colouration, led to such being consideied as distinct species. My specimen 

 agrees with what was formerly known as the Crimson-spotted Triton (Triton miilepunctatus), which 

 is the viridescent or greenish state. Those who are interested in the life-history of this species and 

 its regular change in colour as well as habitat, should consult S. H. Gage's paper entitled, "Life- 

 History of the Vermillion spotted Newt," in The American Natural, st, Vol. XXV, pp. 10S4-1110 

 (Dec, 1891). 



