250 UPLAND AND MEADOW. 



chances are nine in ten that the stone will conceal only 

 his body, and there he remains, in fancied security, with 

 two inches of tail in broad daylight. Let a turtle see 

 and snap at it. What is the result ? Why, in most in- 

 stances, the salamander will hold on like grim death, 

 and the sharp jaws of the turtle cut off the tail ; but if 

 the captured creature looses his hold, then the turtle 

 makes a meal of him. 



Having learned so much of the miseries of a salaman- 

 der's life, and being satisfied that the smaller the tail the 

 less the woe, were I to become one of these creatures I 

 should choose to be three inches of timidity rather than 

 five of fearfulness. To further satisfy myself that these 

 tails were of more harm than good, I captured a hun- 

 dred or more dusky salamanders, and endeavored to 

 learn to what use they put their tails. This was an ut- 

 ter failure. Were they a guide in running? I insti- 

 tuted an elaborate series of races, and those whose tails 

 I had amputated generally made the better time; on 

 the principle, I suppose, of having less weight to carry. 



Finally, I amputated the tails of all my captives, and 

 only four per cent, succumbed to the operation. The 

 others were soon set free, and some are even yet in full 

 health and vigor, and neither suffer fear of attacks in 

 the rear, nor show the least disposition to be jealous of 

 their elongated brethren, with whom they associate on 

 the most friendly terms. 



It was for these reasons that I spoke so disparagingly 

 of salamanders' tails, and suppressed the reasons them- 

 selves, through fear of the Society for the Prevention of 

 Cruelty to Animals. 



