SALAMANDRINAE 123 



Asia ; T. pyrrliogaster and 2\ sinensis are found in N.E. China, 

 the former also in Japan ; T. poireti and T. hagenvvuelleri live in 

 Algeria, and only two, T. torosus and T". viridescens, are North 

 American. Some of the species have a limited range ; thus 

 T. montanus is confined to Corsica, T. rusconii to Sardinia, 2\ 

 hoscai to the north-west of the Iberian peninsula and T. asjier to 

 the Pyrenees. 



Xewts all prefer moisture without heat. During the pairing- 

 season tliey take to the water, mostly to stagnant pools, which 

 sometimes implies long migrations. During this period, which 

 is in some cases rather prolonged, they become thoroughly 

 aquatic and undergo some important changes. The tail- fins are 

 much enlarged ; in the males of some species a high cutaneous 

 fold grows out on the back, devoid of muscles, but rich in sense- 

 organs. The whole skin, instead of being dry, possesses numerous 

 mucous glands and, what is of more importance, specialised 

 sensory apparatuses which are arranged chiefly along the lateral 

 lines of the body and part of the tail. 



After the breeding season Newts become terrestrial, hiding in 

 cracks, trees, or in the sandy soil. Some species aestivate during 

 the hot and dry season. They hibernate either in the ground, 

 or occasionally in ponds. T. vulgaris is difficult to keep in 

 the water beyond the pairing season, while this is easily done 

 with 7\ alpestris and T. cristatus ; T. ivaltli can live in the 

 water for years. The food consists of all kinds of insects, centi- 

 pedes, worms, snails, etc., which are searched for chiefly at night. 

 It is astonishing to see a little Triton getting hold of and gradu- 

 ally swallowing a wriggling earthworm almost as thick and as 

 long as itself. When two newts seize the same worm, as these 

 voracious and jealous creatvires often do, each gets hold of one 

 end, and swallowing as much as it can, twists and rolls round 

 in a direction opposite to that of its rival, until the worm breaks, 

 or until the jaws of the two newts meet and the stronger of 

 the two draws it out of the weaker one and swallow^s the 

 whole worm. They do not drink, but soak themselves in the 

 water. 



The skin is shed periodically, and rather often by the rapidly 

 growing young ; by the adult, during the life in the water, 

 rarely during the sojourn on dry land. The skin breaks round 

 the mouth ; assisted by the fingers and by contortions of the 



