172 THE CRESTED NEWT. 



This notion of the poisonous character of the Salamader is of very old date, as the reader 

 may see by referring to any ancient work on Natural History. One of the old writers advises- 

 any one who is bitten by a Salamander to betake himself to the coffin and winding-sheet, and 

 remarks that a sufferer from the bite of this animal needs as many physicians as the Salaman- 

 der has spots. If the Salamander crawled upon the stem of an apple-tree, all the crop of 

 fruit was supposed to be withered by its deadly presence, and if the heel of a man should 

 come in contact with the liquid that exudes from the skin, all the hair of his head and face 

 would fall off. 



There is certainly an infinitesimally minute atom of truth in all this mass of absurdities, 

 for the Salamander does secrete a liquid from certain pores in its surface, which, for the 

 moment, would enable it to pass through a moderate fire, and this secretion is sufficiently 

 acrid to affect the eyes painfully, and to injure small animals if taken into the mouth. 



The Salamander is a terrestrial species, only frequenting the water for the purpose of 

 depositing its young, which leave the egg before they enter into independent existence. It is 

 a slow and timid animal, generally hiding itself in some convenient crevice during the day, 

 and seldom venturing out except at night or in rainy weather. It feeds on slugs, insects, and 

 similar creatures. During the cold months it retires into winter-quarters, generally the 

 hollow of some decaying tree, or beneath mossy stones, and does not reappear until the 

 spring. 



The ground color of this species is black, and the spots are light yellow. Along the sides 

 are scattered numerous small tubercles. 



THE YELLOW SALAMANDER (Ambtystoma xiphias), called also Desmognath, inhabits the 

 Alleghanies. The Dusky Salamander (A. obscurum) inhabits from Ohio to Massachusetts, 

 and southward, and is one of the commonest species in our springs and brooks. The Black 

 Salamander is the largest of the Eastern species, inhabiting from Pennsylvania southward. 



BED-BACKED SALAMANDER (Plethodon cinereus) is common in the Eastern States. A 

 variety is noticed with no red dorsal band. The Viscid Salamander (P. glvMnosus) is chiefly 

 terrestrial ; like the preceding, inhabits the same localities. 



TWO-STRIPED SALAMANDER (Spelerpes bilineatus), called Cave Salamander and Green's, 

 inhabits from Maine to Wisconsin, and southward. S. longicaudus abounds in the caves 

 from Maine to Kentucky. The Red Triton (S. ruber), inhabits from Maine to Nebraska, and 

 southward. 



THE PURPLE SALAMANDER (OyrinopMlus porphyriticus), a large aquatic species, inhabits- 

 the Alleghany Mountain region. It is said to be the only Salamander that exhibits any 

 attempt at self-defense, the others being too sluggish. 



THE common NEWT, ASKER, EFFET, EFT, or EVAT, as it is indifferently termed, is well 

 known throughout Europe. At least two species of Newt inhabit the northern parts of 

 Europe, and some authors consider that the number of species is still greater. According to' 

 the system employed in this work, we accept only two species, the others being merely noted 

 as varieties. 



THE CRESTED NEWT derives its popular name from the membranous crest which appears 

 on the back and upper edge of the tail during the breeding-season, and which adds so much to 

 the beauty of the adult male. 



This creature is found plentifully in ponds and ditches, during the warm months of the 

 year, and may be captured without difficulty. It is tolerably hardy in confinement, being 

 easily reared even from a very tender age, so that its habits can be carefully noted. 



I had some of these animals in a large slate tank through which water was constantly 

 running, and which was paved with pebbles, and furnished with vallisneria and other aquatic 



