ii8 BRITISH REPTILES 
deep orange, spotted with black. The sides are dotted 
with white, and the sides of the tail are of pearl white. 
A deep-notched crest is on the creature's back, in- 
dented like a cock's comb ; this, as the creature floats 
near the surface of the water, with all its legs spread 
out, is a conspicuous ornament. It is a voracious 
creature, feeding on tadpoles, small frogs just after 
they have ceased to be tadpoles, also on worms ; a 
worm it is impossible for him to resist. 
' I say, Mister, do ye want any o' them 'ere fin- 
backed effuts, big uns ? ' was the question addressed 
to me from a couple of woodland youngsters, attired 
in suits of clothing very much out of repair, ' 'cos if 
ye do, jest cum along o' us down tu old Bitter's hoss- 
pond, in the medder ; we'll pull ye out some quick.' 
As the invitation from the youngsters to invest in 
effuts was so heartily given, I accepted it. The pro- 
spect on their part of a small silver coin closing the 
performance of fishing for effuts, may have had a little 
to do with their readiness to oblige. 
On reaching ' old Bitter's hoss-pond,' the proceed- 
ings were of the simplest kind. Each lad cut a long 
slight rod from the sallow-bushes, tied a piece of stout 
thread to it, and then to the end of the thread they 
tied a worm by the middle. As the large specimens 
showed in the clear water, the worm was dropped 
