CHAPTER IV. 

 PRIMEVAL SALAMANDERS. 



IF we assume that naturalists are right in regarding 

 evolution as the true explanation of the mutual re- 

 lationships of living beings, and if we also take it for 

 granted that fishes are the lowest representatives of 

 vertebrated animals of which we have at present any 

 cognisance, we should naturally expect to find in some 

 of the lower rocks, at a period when fishes had already 

 obtained considerable development, remains of animals 

 in some respects connecting fishes with reptiles. This 

 expectation is fully realised by the presence in the 

 Coal-measures and lower Secondary rocks of a remark- 

 able group of totally extinct animals, which may be 

 popularly termed Primeval Salamanders, since their 

 nearest living allies are to be found in the Efts of our 

 own ponds, in the well-known yellow-and-black Sala- 

 manders of the Continent, and in the so-called Giant 

 Salamanders of Japan and the United States, with the 

 latter of which we have become more or less familiar 

 of late years by means of aquaria. 



It may save trouble, before going farther, to mention 

 that although Salamanders and their kin are popularly 

 spoken of as reptiles, yet they have really no right to 



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