510 



Reptiles. 



from the tadpole to the perfect Toad in this rather con- 

 fined space. This curious Toad is found in Guiana ; it 

 frequents the dark corners of the houses, and, notwith- 

 standing its intense ugliness, is eaten by the natives. 



THE COMMON NEWT. (Triton aquaticus.) 



BESIDES the frogs and toads, which have no tails when 

 arrived at their perfect form, there are several Batrachiaii 

 Reptiles in which this appendage is permanent. The 

 best known of these are the Newts, of which two kinds 

 are very common in ponds during the spring. The 

 common Newt is three or four inches in length, and is of 

 a pale brown colour above, and 'orange with black spots 

 below. It has four little webbed feet and a flattened 

 tail. In swimming, the legs are turned backwards to 

 lessen resistance, and the animal is propelled princi- 

 pally by the tail. Their progression at the bottom of 

 the water and on land is performed creepingly with 

 their small and weak feet. These animals live during 

 the autumn and winter under stones and clods of earth, 

 and come down to the water in February or March for 

 the purpose of depositing their eggs there. The eggs 



