242 THE AMPHIBIA 



We may divide the existing Amphibia into three orders : (i) 

 the Apoda (legless Amphibians) ; (2) the Urodela (persistent tails 

 or newt-like Amphibians) ; and (3) the Anura (tail-less Amphibians). 



The members of the Apoda have snake-like bodies, no limbs, 

 and a smooth, slimy skin, which forms numerous transverse folds, 

 and may or may not have small scales embedded in it. They 

 live in moist ground and lead a burrowing life. There are some 

 peculiarities in the skulls of these limbless Amphibia which, Huxley 

 pointed out, were foreshadowed in the great extinct Labyrintho- 

 dontia of the early age of Amphibia and reptiles. Their life- 

 history has only recently been studied, and in but a few species, 

 so that we have yet probably much to learn about these curious 

 animals. They are found on the slopes of the Himalayas, in 

 Ceylon, Siam, the Malay islands, Borneo, Java, Malacca, West 

 and East Africa, South and Central America. 



Of the Urodela, the most familiar are the members of the 

 sub-order Salamandrince, the Salamanders and Newts. The Great 

 Crested Newt (Triton cristatus) is the largest of the British Newts, 

 attaining a length of 6 inches, and is fairly common in ponds and 

 ditches, where it preys upon water insects, and in the spring devours 

 large numbers of the tadpoles of the common frog. It will also 

 attack and devour the smaller species of triton ; while should 

 two seize upon a worm, a violent tug-of-war takes place until 

 the unfortunate victim is pulled asunder. It is a handsome animal, 

 blackish-brown, with darker spots on the upper surface of the 

 rounded body, and underneath a bright reddish-orange with round 

 black spots. During the breeding season, the colouring of the 

 male is very bright, and a handsome crest runs along the back. 

 It is a very aquatic species, rarely leaving the water, and spending 

 the winter in a torpid condition at the bottom of the pond or 

 ditch. The female deposits her eggs upon the leaves of submerged 

 aquatic plants, folding the leaf over so as to protect the egg. The 

 young tadpole at first has external gills that almost look like little 

 plumes, but they gradually become smaller until they are quite 

 obliterated, the gill-clefts in the neck become absorbed and covered 

 with skin, and the little creature begins to respire atmospheric 

 air only. 



Nearly related to the Great Crested Newt is the Common Smooth 

 Newt or Eft (Triton punctatus)^ which is less aquatic in its habits, 



