THE SMOOTH NEWT OR EFT 87 



at the butt, where many trees are more or less hollow, and the open- 

 ing from below, though not perhaps corresponding to where the 

 toad is located. It appears not to be known that a rent or cleft in 

 the solid wood of a tree never closes, and in this a toad may have 

 crept when young and not been able to escape ; but whilst the tree 

 was occluding the fissure it increased in size by feeding on insects, 

 or, particularly, woodlice (cmstacea), and was ultimately apparently 

 entombed by new bark and wood over the aperture by which the 

 toad at fir^t entered, though it is doubtful if it be entirely deprived 

 of food and air. Experiments conducted by Dr. Buckland in 1825 

 demonstrated that toads from which all air was cut off, died before 

 a year's imprisonment. 



The SMOOTH NEWT or EFT (Triton tceniatus or aquaticus) is in- 

 cluded in the order Urodela (" tailed ") of Amphibians, and in 

 common with all other members of the Amphibians are Caduci- 



FIG. 57. THE GREAT WATER-NEWT, MALE AND FEMALE. 



branchiate forms, that is, the gills, with which they are provided in 

 early life, disappear on their attaining maturity. The newt is 

 oviparous, that is, producing eggs from which the young are after- 

 wards hatched. It commences life as a tadpole, the larval gills 

 being cast off about the third month of existence, when it breathes 

 by lungs. The larval tail is retained throughout life. The tongue 

 is free, and two rows of teeth are borne on the palate. The front 

 legs appear first in order of development, and possess four toes, the 



