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COMMON SMOOTH NEWT OR EFT. 



MALE SMOOTH NEWT. 



(Lophinus punctatus.) 



THE Smooth Newt, Eft, or Effet, is the most 

 common species of newt in the British isles. It 

 is found over a large part of Europe ; is very 

 common in Switzerland, Belgium, Galicia, and 

 the Bukovina; uncommonly numerous in Silesia, 

 and very abundant in Italy, especially near 

 Rome ; inhabits many parts of France, and is 

 found in Carniola.* In our country it is found 

 in almost every clear ditch or pond, sometimes 

 in great numbers, where it feeds upon aquatic 

 insects and worms, and in their turn, as some 

 have observed, themselves become food for the 

 great warty newt. 



Though perfectly harmless, these poor crea- 

 tures, devoid of any means of defence or offence, 



* Lord Clermont's " Quadrupeds and Reptiles of Europe." 



