i Motes on tke Water Newt 



DR. R. W. SHUFELDT, C. M. Z. 5. 



At different times for many years 

 past I have kept in aqnaria specimens 

 of our common Water Newt (Diemy- 

 ciylus viridescens of Rafinesque, Figs. I 

 and 2), and closely studied their habits 

 under such conditions. Upon comparing 

 my notes with various accounts I have 

 read of this batrachian, I find that I 

 have observed not a few habits not 

 usually, if ever, recorded in the books; 

 these will be briefly set forth in the 

 present article. 



This beautiful little newt makes a 

 very interesting aquarium pet, and if 

 regularly fed soon comes to recognize 

 you as you approach the aquarium at 

 feeding time. It will come close to the 

 glass and exhibit considerable excite- 

 ment if hungry, swimming to and fro 

 as you move from side to side in front 

 of it. If there be several in the recep- 

 tacle, and only one thus behaves, the 

 others soon swim up and join it ; in a 

 moment or so you have them all en- 

 deavoring to attract your attention to 

 their desires to be fed. Every once in 

 a while one fellow will swim vertically 

 up to the surface of the water, and, 

 sticking his head out, will gulp in a 

 mouthful of air ; then, assuming a hori- 

 zontal poise, slowly sink down again, 

 sometimes to the bottom, or perhaps to 

 rest on some plant growing on it. They 

 are very fond of small bits of angling- 

 worms, and if fed at all times with 

 these, they do not seem to change much 

 in the matter of their coloration ; but if 

 the diet be changed to raw meat, it will 

 be noticed that, in a little while, all the 

 colors of the bodv become of a much 



richer and deeper shade. As a rule the 

 back becomes a rich olive brown ; the 

 red spots of the sides a deep vermilion ; 

 the black spotting more intense, and the 

 pale yellow of all the under-parts a 

 strong orange. When these changes are 

 at their height, the animal is certainly 

 a very beautiful creature. 



It need not concern us here about 

 these newts being transformed into the 

 Red Efts or "Mountain Lizards ;" for 

 I believe this never happens during the 

 aquarium life of this extraordinary in- 

 habitant of our ponds and sluggish 

 streams. 



It is interesting to watch these little 

 fellows at feeding-time. I have often 

 fed them direct from my fingers with 

 bits of raw meat, and if several pieces 

 of this be thrown into the water among 

 them, some curious things happen. 

 Every four or five minutes one of them 

 may give vent to a peculiar kind of 

 short grunt or croak, which may with 

 ease be heard across the room. As the 

 bits of meat fall among them, they all 

 become very much excited, especially 

 if they chance to be pretty hungry. They 

 move about with considerable agility, 

 and snap at everything within reach. As 

 they huddle together, snapping in this 

 manner, they often bite each other, 

 especially the limbs and end of the tail. 

 On one occasion a big female took 

 nearly the entire head of a small male 

 in her mouth, and I was obliged to dis- 

 engage him from his very uncomfort- 

 able predicament. One can easily dis- 

 tinguish the males from the females of 

 this species, as the former have their 



