32 



BATBACHIANS. 



resisting the most violent action of live coal. It was found neces- 

 sary, however, that physicians and philosophers should take the 

 trouble to prove by experiment the absurdity of these tales. 



The skull of the Land or Spotted Salamander, Salamandra 

 maculosa, is well described by Cuvier as being nearly cylindrical, 

 wider in front so as to form the semi- circular face, and also behind 

 for the crucial branches, containing the internal ears. The cranium 

 of the aquatic Salamander differs from the terrestrial in having the 

 entire head more oblong, and they differ also among themselves. 



In the Land Salamander the body is black and warty 



Fig. 9. Land Salamander. 



with large irregular yellow spots distributed over the head, 

 back, sides, feet, and tail. They affect obscure and moist places, 

 and only issue from their retreat in the night or morning, 

 walking slowly, and dragging themselves with ' difficulty along 

 the surface of the ground. They live upon flies, beetles, 

 snails, and earth worms. They remain in the water to deposit 

 their eggs ; the young are born alive, and furnished with fully- 

 developed gills. Moreover Salamanders are gifted with a power 

 which causes them to be much dreaded by other animals: it 

 has the power of discharging an acrid and milky humour, with a 

 very strong odour, from the surface of its body, which serves as a 

 defence against many animals which would otherwise attack it. 

 It has been proved by experiment that this liquid, when intro- 



