32 REPTILES AND BIRDS. 



The Crested Newt ( Triton cristatus) is frequently found in the 

 neighbourhood of Paris; the skin of its back is rough and warty, 

 of a brownish colour, with large black spots and white projecting 

 points ; the belly has black spots upon an orange ground. 



The Dutch traveller, Sieboldt, introduced a species of Aquatic 

 Salamander, which inhabits the mountain lakes of Japan. This 

 species is remarkable for its gigantic growth. Instead of being the 

 size of those indigenous to Europe, this Batrachian is four feet and a 

 half in length, and weighs fifty pounds. 



Magnificent specimens of this Gigantic Salamander, the Sieboldtia 

 maxima, may be seen by the visitors to the London Zoological 

 Gardens. The largest of them measured and weighed as above 

 (March 3, 1869). An analogous large fossil species was described as 

 homo diluvii testis ! 



The transformation of the tailed Batrachians, from the tadpole 

 condition to the air-breathing and four-footed state, is one of the 

 most interesting exhibitions of Nature, and one which every one 

 may witness. We cannot in our brief description have a more 

 trustworthy guide than Professor Rymer Jones, who selects the water 

 newt (Triton cristatus) as an example : 



"Immediately before leaving the egg," he says, " this tadpole 

 presents both the outward form and internal structure of a fish. The 

 flattened and vertical tail, fringed with a broad dorsal and oval fin ; 

 the shape of the body and gills, appended to the side of the neck, 

 are all apparent ; so that were the creature to preserve this form 

 throughout its life the naturalist would scarcely hesitate in classing it 

 with fishes properly so called. 



" When first hatched it presents the same fish-like body, and 

 rows itself through the water by the lateral movement of the caudal 

 fin. The only appearance of legs as yet visible consists in two 

 minute tubercles, which seem to be sprouting out from the skin 

 immediately behind the branchial tufts, and which are, in fact, the 

 first buddings of anterior extremities. Nevertheless, to compensate 

 to a certain extent for the total want of prehensile limbs, which after- 

 wards become developed, two supernumerary organs are provisionally 

 furnished in the shape of two minute claspers on each side of the 

 mouth ; by means of these the little creature holds on to the leaves 

 which are under water. 



" Twelve days after issuing from the egg, the two fore-legs, which 

 at first resembled two little nipples, have become much elongated, 

 and are divided at their extremity into two or three rudiments of 

 fingers ; the eyes, which were before scarcely visible, being covered 



