CRESTED NEWT. 173 



weeks. At the proper time he seeks the water, when the tad- 

 poles escape from the eggs, and complete their development 

 much after the manner of Common Toad tadpoles. 



Crested Newt {Molge cristata, Laurent). 



The Newts, of which there are three British species, though 

 agreeing generally with the Frogs and Toads in their passage 

 through an aquatic, tadpole stage before attaining their mature 

 form, differ in the fact that they retain through life the com- 

 pressed tail. In consequence they constitute, with the Sala- 

 manders, the order Caudata or Tailed Batrachians. As the 

 structure, development and habits of the three are much alike 

 their story may be told here in general terms, before proceeding 

 to a description of the species separately. 



The entire animal is enclosed in a soft skin which develops 

 mucuous and sensory apparatus, arranged principally along the 

 sides and the base of the tail. The two pairs of legs are almost 

 of the same length, the hinder pair being slightly the longer. 

 The hands have four fingers and the feet five toes as in the other 

 batrachians. In general form they are like Lizards, and Linnaeus 

 classified them as such and was followed by the naturalists of 

 the earlier part of the nineteenth century. During the breeding 

 season the skin of the males develops into a high crest or fin 

 along the middle of the back. There is a similar development 

 above and below the tail. These developments have a triple 

 importance : they are sexual adornments, swimming aids and 

 sensory organs. Usually terrestrial animals, the adults are' 

 impelled to seek the water at the pairing season, and in many 

 cases travel long distances in order to reach the stagnant pools 

 that are mostly favoured. There are minute teeth along the jaws 

 and on the palate ; but they serve only to retain their living 

 food. 



The skin serves the same office of respiration as we mentioned 



