264 



TEXT-BOOK OF ZOOLOGY 



the neck to the extremity of the tail. The legs being short and weak, 

 motion through the water is accomplished by means of the broad swim- 

 ming-tail, which is completely surrounded by a fin-membrane (see larva 



of frog). The female lays 

 its eggs singly in the pro- 

 tecting angles of the leaves 

 of water-plants, or it bends 

 or rolls up leaves, and then 

 glues the eggs within the 

 bend or roll. The develop- 

 ment of the larvae is much 

 simpler than in the frog 

 (observe it in an aquar- 

 ium). Essentially it con- 

 sists in nothing more than 

 the loss of the external 

 branchiae and the develop- 

 ment of lungs. Neither 

 horny jaws nor internal 

 branchiae are developed, 

 and the change in external 

 shape is inconsiderable. 

 (Why ?) The fore-legs are 

 budded forth in advance 

 of the hind-limbs. The 

 young leave the water 

 when their development is 

 complete, while the old 

 newts quit it after the 

 spawning season. The 

 food consists of worms and 

 insects. 



The Great Water or 

 Crested Newt (T. crista- 

 tus ; see illustration, p. 

 263) is distinguished by a 

 still more brilliant "court- 

 ing-dress" during the 

 breeding season. It 

 reaches a length of about 6 inches. The male is distinguished by a 

 dorsal crest with serrated edge, interrupted at the base of the tail. 



A remarkable member of this division is the Proteus Salamander 



PROTEUS IN WATER OF A SUBTERRANEOUS CAVERN. 

 (About one-half natural size). 



