COMMON WATER-NEWT. 301 



ters of spawn, from which are soon hatched the 

 larvae or young, which, for a considerable period, 

 are furnished with a triple pair of ramified branchial 

 fins or processes on each side the neck ; thus giv- 

 ing the animal, in some degree, the appearance of 

 a small fish. These parts, after having served their 

 temporary purpose, of assisting the respiration of 

 the animal, during its growing state, are gradually 

 obliterated. 



Water-Newts frequently cast their skins, which 

 may be occasionally observed floating in the 

 waters they inhabit, and are sometimes so per- 

 fect as to exhibit the whole form of the complete 

 animal. 



The Water-Newts are remarkable for a high 

 degree of reproductive power, and have been 

 known to exhibit the restoration of their legs, 

 tails, and even, according to Dr. Blumenbach, of 

 the eyes themselves, after having been deprived 

 of them by cutting. That the eyes of the com- 

 ments of the fore legs soon begin to appear, and in something 

 more than a fortnight those of the hind legs become visible ; the 

 branchial fins become obliterated about the beginning of Sep- 

 tember, at which time the animal appears in its perfect form. It 

 may be added, that as these animals may be said in some de- 

 gree to verify the celebrated and seemingly paradoxical case 

 recorded by Averroes, and so wittily commented upon by Sir 

 Thomas Brown *, it should seem that hybrid productions may be 

 more frequent between these than other amphibia ; and this may 

 account for the numerous varieties occasionally observed and de- 

 scribed by authors. 



* Pseudjdoxu Epidemics, book vii. ch <p. 16. 



