50 PHOTOGRAPHY FOR NATURALISTS. 



the water. His glorious apparel has left him, and he is 

 a poor-looking object, but still by no means negligible 

 from a natural history point of view. There are also 

 various important occasions to be observed in con- 

 nection with the adult life of our subject. Not the least 

 interesting of these is the periodical change of skin a 

 peculiarity which is shared with all the other reptiles. 



Tadpoles. 



In the case of the newts, however, the skin is, like a 

 snake's, discarded in one piece, and forms when sus- 

 pended in the water such an exquisitely delicate object 

 that no photographer should let the chance of per- 

 petuating its appearance escape him. One need do no 

 more than mention the characteristic dart to the surface 

 for air, the struggles between two well-matched rivals 

 for food " dragons that tare each other in their slime" 

 or the peculiarly confident display of his attractions 



