174 ANIMAL LIFE OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



in the case of the Frog, and like it they are compelled when on 

 land to force air into their lungs by a constant pumping and 

 swallowing action of the mouth and throat. 



The male seeks to excite the female by displaying his beautiful 

 crest and his heightened colours ; also by rubbing her with his 

 head and lashing her with his tail. Then he emits sperma- 

 tophores in the form of a mushroom-shaped gelatinous mass 

 whose head consists largerly of sperms. These sink to the 

 bottom, whence the female takes them into her body. The eggs 



Skeleton of Newt. 



are, in consequence, already fertilised when deposited. They 

 are laid singly against a long leaf of one of the pond-weeds 

 Anacharis, Callitriche, Water-moss, etc. which is folded over 

 by the female and adheres to the egg. They hatch in about a 

 fortnight, the liberated larvse being more slender and fish-like 

 than the tadpoles of the Frog. They have three pairs of 

 external gills, and soon after hatching they develop two pairs 

 of thread-like organs from the sides of the upper jaw, which 

 enable them to cling to water plants. The process of develop- 

 ment is more prolonged than in the Frogs and Toads, but it is 

 mostly complete at the end of summer before the hibernation 

 begins. The little Newts then crawl out of the water and seek 



