THREE-FINGERED SALAMANDER, &c. 167 



Sometimes the back part of this fkin adheres too clofely to yield to the 

 creature's efforts ; then it corrupts, and corrupts alio the leg adjacent, 

 ■which drops off; but this lofs does not kill the animal. Salt is fatal to 

 falamanders. Are not venomous. Inhabit moft parts of the world. 



THE THREE-FINGERED SALAMANDER 



IS an inftance, that, though imagination may have greatly augmented 

 and difguifed fome obfervations and fads of Natural Hiftory, yet at 

 the bottom may be truth; and could we drip off fallacy, or could we 

 diftinguifh addition from fact, many relations, which are now ri- 

 diculous and falfe, might be admitted, under certain limitations. That 

 the falamander is the creature of fire, is falle; yet, the only one known 

 of this fpecies was found on the crater of Vefuvius, furrounded by the 

 burning lava of that volcano. What further authority does poetic licence 

 require to regard this lizard as incombuftible ? 



This falamander has ribs j three toes before, four behind ; head flat, 

 rounded in front j tail thin, longer than the body. Colour deep brown, 

 mingled with reddifli on the head and belly. Nothing of its natural 

 habits known, this being a folitary fpecimen : perhaps as many lizards, 

 &c. are fond of the heat in the torrid zone, this might have ftrayed to where 

 it was found, without fuffering a heat greater than many others of its 

 fpecies elfewhere enjoyed. 



OVIPAROUS QUADRUPEDS WITHOUT TAILS, 



^r^HE abfence of the tail is in tliefe a ftriking and permanent 

 J^ diftirtftion; they are alfo but fmall in lize, eight qr ten inches 

 being the largeft. They have no fcales on their body j their fkin is full 

 of warts, or tubercles, and bedewed with a vifcous-liquid. Moft have 

 only four toes before; fome, inftcad of five behind, have {\-x.a more or 

 Part V. No. :^8. F f lefs 



