Till .IMILOTL. 17fl 



tli.- water, fastened ( .n her orni. Lit out a piece of flesh, and spat fire into the wound, ao thai 

 he afterwards lost her arm. 



All the Newts poasesM singular powers of reproducing lout or injured members, thin faculty 

 j.r.i\ in- tin-in to hold a rath- r low place in the scale of creation Tin- Smooth Newt has been 

 known to reproduce the tail, and e\-n tin- limLs ; :m<l in one caae an eye was removed entirely, 

 an<l repriHlmtd in a i-rfe<-t -.tat.- Ly tin- end of tin- \.-ar. 



This spedea may IN* known Ly it- smooth and non tuU-n-ular skin, and its small iae. 

 hnrin- the I - 1 . -d i ng-Beaaon the male wears a cn-xt, u lii.-h runs continiion-l\ from tin- head to 

 tin- end of tin- tail, and is not so dwj.lv >-!,-ft as that of tin- rr.-st.-d sj,ecies. 



This ornament is very delicate and beautiful, and at the height of the season in often 

 !_ I - " ; . beMrtil ll Carmine o) ,:-.', I >... coloi i- bnwnish-gnn aLovc and LrightofUga 

 In-low, covered with round spoto of Muck. In tin- autumn and during tin- winter, theaUlomen 

 becomes much paler. The length of this species is about three inches and u half. 



Tin: I'M.M \i 1 1. \\ \ i u: XEWT of Mr. Bell (Litsotrilon pdlmipei) is held to be merely 

 a variety of this species. 



WE now arrive at anot h-r family, known Ly ih.- curious mami.-r in which tin- teeth of the 

 palate form a broken cross-series. 



The first exani]>l>- is the .1 \I-ANBSE SALAMANDER (OnychoddrfytiiM j<ij*inicu*), retnark- 

 aLle for having, during the larval state and in the breeding-season, claws n|M>n the toes. It* 

 color id purplish-Muck, variegated irregularly with white, and th<> claws are black. It is 

 thought by the natives to possess medical properties, and th.-y employ its flesh in sundry 

 ailments, killing, and drying it in the sun for I--M.-I- preservation. 



ANOTHER example of this family is the AXBLYSTOMK, <>r SPOTTED EFT, of North 

 America. 



This species is not uncommon in the countries which it inhuLits. and is found in some 

 numbers in Pennsylvania. The eggs of this creature an- not debited singly and in the 

 water, as is the case with the newts. Lut are laid in small jHicket.s. and placed beneath damp 

 tones Ti,.. head ol the VniLlystome is thick, convex, and Witfc 0M mu//l.' lound.-d. Its 

 color is deep violet-black above, and piirple-Llark Lelow. with a row of circular or oval yellow 

 spots along the sides. These spots are large in pro|x>rtion to the dimensions of the individual. 

 and have a very bold eff.-ct. The genus is rather large, containing about eleven acknowledged 

 species. One of them. AmMiistoma talpoideum, or Mole-like AmLlystome. derives it.s name 

 from its habit of burrowing in the ground after the fashion of the mole. It lives in South 

 Carolina, and is found on the sea-islands. The fon- -limbs an- ] ulim ly short and stout, and 

 the body is rather thick and clumsily made. 



It is found northward us fur as Illinois. There are eight other species enumerate!, found. 

 respectively, in Ohio, New Jersey, and the Southern States. Specimens kept in the New York 

 Aquarium during the year 1878, passed through the usual and various stages of transforma- 

 tion. The tail was first noticed to be growing gradually smaller, and on aLsorption of the 

 branching, the transformation was seen to be complete. The more delicate and comely Sala- 

 mander, with proper lungs, and its body prettily decorated with round spots, was the |~-rf-ct 

 and permanent form. This process of change was clearly visiLlc in the well arranged tanks of 

 the A<|iiaiium. The larva state of one species is the celebrated Axolotl of Me\j<-<.. and 

 Como one of the v\.-st.-ni territories. 



One genus and nineteen species are recorded as embraced under the family 

 all found in North America. They are particularly abundant in the South and West. 



WE now come to a very remarkable cn-ature. the Axm.oi i., which is presumed to be but 

 the larva or tadpole state of some very large Latrai -hian. Like many other enigmatical animals, 

 it has been bandied about considerably in the i-our-*- of investigation, and, according to th.- 

 latest observations, the original opinion seems to be correct, namely, that it i- not an adult 



