382 Mr. J. Higginbottom on the British Tritons. 



designated the lAsso-triton Palmipes, and a description is there 

 given which agrees with the observations of the two former 

 gentlemen. 



Mr. Baker was the first person who discovered the new species 

 in England in 1843, and Mr. Wolley the first in Scotland in 

 1848. 



By the kindness of these two gentlemen I obtained more than 

 one hundred of these Tritons, male and female. I put them into 

 a pool which I made for the purpose in a secluded spot in a 

 garden, which I supplied with aquatic plants, and surrounded it 

 with clay and stones as a retreat during hibernation. 



I closely observed their habits and their periodical changes 

 during two years, and found them the same as in the Triton 

 Uevis. 



The characteristics of this Triton are, according to M. Deby, 

 in the male — 1st. Tail suddenly truncate before the apex, and 

 terminating in a slender filament 3 lines in length ; 2nd. Hind 

 feet perfectly palmate, all the toes united by a membrane; 3rd. 

 The dorsal crest small and simple ; 4th. Size much smaller than 

 the punctatus (PI. XVI. fig. 8). 



I have fully ascertained the changes when the breeding season 

 is over. The slender filament is absorbed, and the truncated 

 portion of the tail becomes obtusely rounded ofi" with a slight 

 indurated dark tip at the end, and the web on the hind feet is 

 wholly absorbed, leaving the toes free (PI. XVI. fig. 9). 



Being the smallest of the Tritons, it may be designated, I 

 think with great propriety, Triton minor. 



I would propose as a new nomenclature for the three Tritons 

 now /w/Zy recognized in Great Britain — 1st. The Triton asper ; 

 2nd. The Triton lavis ; 3rd. The Triton minor. 



I would here remark, that my observations have led me to the 

 conclusion that there is only one genus of the Triton. The 

 rough skin of the one species and the smooth skin of the other 

 does not appear a sufficient difference to form another distinct 

 genus, their habits are all alike, and the variety of their changes 

 are also the same. 



The Tritons left my pool between the 11th of August and the 

 4th of September, and I found them under large leaves growing 

 near the pool, having undergone their changes for terrestrial 

 life and for subsequent hibernation. 



I had also in this locality an opportunity of corroborating my 

 former statement, that the tadpole of the Triton requires five 

 months at least of genial weather before it arrives at its full de- 

 velopment so as to be able to leave the water ; the tadpoles pro- 

 duced from the ova deposited in the month of July remain in 

 the water through the winter, apparently undergoing no change, 



