British Amphibians : Newts 



water. The Newt will not hesitate to seize the dainty 

 tit-bit and allow itself to be dragged ashore. 



THE SMOOTH NEWT (Molge vulgaris, Plate XII.). 



Of the Newt family this is perhaps the most numerous. 

 Considered in comparison with that of the species just 

 described, the skin of Molge vulgaris is smooth, 

 although there are a few pores over the top of the 

 head and a few minor markings of a like nature along 

 the sides. Still, these cannot be called warts, similar 

 to those which are borne by the Great Warted Newt. 



Over the back the colour is dullish grey, with lines 

 of rather dark spots. On the head there are usually 

 five such spots, and these reach almost to the crest. 

 Beneath, the parts are yellow coloured and adorned with 

 dark dots. In the male the lower edge of the tail is 

 red, with a faint blue stripe along the side, while in 

 the case of the female the yellow colouring takes the 

 place of the red marking. 



The eggs are deposited in a stringy film, and 

 number anything from four to six to a cluster. These 

 are generally found adhering to the rootlets of water- 

 plants, or the plants themselves. The Tadpoles that 

 hatch out are dull-looking atoms at first, with a few 

 pale yellow dots over their tiny bodies. Beyond this, 

 the young of the Smooth Newt is but a replica of that 

 of the Great Warted species, in so far as its birth, 

 growth, and general habits are concerned. 



By way of diet the Smooth Newt is not over 



B.R. 57 8 



