370 Mr. J. Higginbottom on the British Tritons. 



observation, is singularly confirmed by the facts of the anato- 

 mical structure, viz. that the male Triton has no appearance of 

 crest, silvery stripe on the tail, fringe or membrane on the hind 

 toes, during the first and second year ; and the testes and ovaries 

 are of a very diminutive size, facts to be noticed more particularly 

 hereafter. 



The principal questions which I purpose to notice are — 



1st. The determination of the number of species of Triton in 

 the midland counties of England. 



2nd. The fecundation, deposition, and bursting of the ova. 



3rd. The development of the Tadpole and the perfect animal. 



4th. The uninterrupted extension of its terrestrial life through 

 three whole years in a state of activity in the summer, and in a 

 state of hibernation in the winter season. 



5th. The limitation of its second aquatic life to the period 

 required for reproduction. 



6th. Certain peculiarities in its anatomy. 



I. On the Species of Triton. 



During my long observation of the Triton in the pools of the 

 midland counties and their clayey banks, &c. &c., I have not been 

 able to detect more than two species ; one of them is that termed 

 the common warty Triton, and the other is designated the com- 

 mon smooth Triton. But these two species of the Triton pre- 

 sent such varied appearances during the three years of their slow 

 but progressive growth, and during the changes they experience 

 preparatory to their return from being inhabitants of the land, 

 breathing atmospheric air, active in the summer and hibernant 

 in the winter, to being active denizens of the water, reproducing 

 their kind in the months of March, April, May, June and July, 

 that I think they have been regarded by naturalists as presenting 

 too great a number of distinct species. 



The crest, from which one species has received the designation 

 of cristatics, and the fringe or membrane, from which another 

 has received that of palmipes, are not permanent adjuncts, but 

 exist only during the active season of reproduction, and only 

 in the male. These appendages are scarcely therefore ad- 

 missible as characteristics of the species of Triton. I would 

 venture to propose as permanent and descriptive names, which 

 I shall take the liberty of making use of in this paper, the terms 

 Triton asper and Triton IcBvis; in fact, the large Triton is at all 

 times distinguished by its rough granular skin, whilst the smaller 

 is always known by its smooth surface. 



The terms aquatic and terrestrial are not more applicable, as 

 I am enabled to say. that no species of Triton is exclusively 



