72 HALF-HOURS IN THE GREEN LANES. 



gained has greatly dispelled the ignorant prejudices 

 against them. Among others, the newts have come 

 in for a share of observation, and very pretty, grace- 

 ful objects do they look when in the aquarium. 

 The Great Water Newt is not such a favourite in 

 this respect perhaps, as the Smooth Newt, its rough 

 warty back having rather a repulsive appearance. 

 This is relieved, however, by the bright orange 

 colour of the belly. The eggs of this species are 

 generally deposited early in April, and their de- 

 position goes on till July. Both by this species 

 and the Smooth Newt, the eggs are carefully and 

 skilfully enclosed in the leaves of aquatic plants. 

 Mr. Higginbottom states that if a plant with long 

 leaves be thrown into a pool where there are Tritons, 

 for only a single night during the breeding season, 

 it will be found on the following morning to have a 

 number of its leaves folded, and within each fold an 

 egg. If everything goes on right, in a fortnight 

 the egg has so developed that it forces the folds of 

 the leaf open. In three weeks, the embryo is fully 

 formed, and the young tadpole swims away, to feed 

 most voraciously, even on the tadpoles of the smooth 

 newt. For three months the young are purely 

 aquatic, breathing by gills alone, and showing no 

 signs whatever of any legs sprouting. After that 

 period, however, an important change sets in. The 

 legs are formed, the fore-limbs first -this being the 

 reverse of the development of the young of frogs. 

 In proportion to the rapidity with which the legs 



