2i 8 The Under- Water World 



which it leads, are hidden under the 

 skin. Its elongate body, provided with 

 small, widely serrated limbs, is pale flesh 

 colour, whilst its large external gills are 

 blood red, forming a striking contrast. 

 The flesh-coloured skin is as sensitive to 

 light as a photographic plate, becoming 

 jet black if exposed to the rays of the 

 sun. It has been shown in recent years 

 that these salamanders, which at an 

 embryonic stage only have well-developed 

 eyes, can be forced to regain their eye- 

 sight, a certain Viennese biologist having 

 succeeded in developing the rudimentary 

 visual organ into a full-sized functional 

 eye by subjecting the animals to red 

 illumination for five years from birth. 

 In its native state this enigmatic creature 

 feeds almost exclusively on various kinds 

 of small Crustacea. In captivity it has 

 been known to thrive for over three 

 years without taking any form of 

 nourishment. 



