1895.] DB. J. DE BEDRIAGA OH" THE PTBEKEAU NEWT. 157 



length of head and body, thicker at the base in the male, becoming 

 gradually compressed, furnished with a low crest, ending in an 

 obtuse point or rather broadly rounded at its end ; its lower crest 

 is generally slightly deeper than the upper one ; both crests with 

 nearly straight and parallel edges. 



Upper parts grey, olive shaded, or brownish grey, powdered with 

 yellow. Back and sides of the body with or without more or less 

 distinct yellow or greyish-yellow spots ; similar spots are generally 

 scattered on the greyish or brownish muscular region of the tail 

 and followed by a series of dark spots ; some specimens, however, 

 have an almost immaculate tail. Upper part of the muscular 

 region of the tail very often with a yellow margin, the lower edge 

 very often, and mostly in females, orange. The rather thickish 

 caudal crest is yellowish grey, or grey spotted and punctulated 

 with brown or greyish brown, but always less abundantly on the 

 lower and anterior portion. Throat nearly transparent, pale 

 yellow ; belly yellow in the middle, yellowish grey on the sides — 

 immaculate in females, dotted with brownish grey in males. The 

 branchiae are grey or brownish above, reddish beneath. Iris dark 

 brown, pupil with a golden margin. 



In deep water the larva acquires a very dark colouring and is 

 almost immaculate. 



millim. inillini. 



Total length 5S| 56 



Length of head 9 8| 



Breadth of head 6^ 5-6 



From end of snout to anus 28g 28 



Fore limb 9^ -81 



Hind limb 9 8^ 



Length of tail 30 28 



Depth of tail 6| 5| 



Geographical Distribution. 



M. aspera was first noticed as a Pyrenean species by Duges, 

 Dumeril and Bibron from Eaux-Bonnes, later on by Philippe from 

 the Lac Bleu (Triton gladalis, in Seance de I'Acad. de Mont- 

 pellier, 1847, p. 20), and more recently from the Lac d'Oncet, Pic 

 du Midi (F. Lataste, I. c), from Cauterets (Valery Mayet), and 

 from the Lac de Gaube (P. Miiller). This newt occurs also but 

 rather scarcely in the Lac d'Oo and near the Pont d'Espagne in the 

 river Gave. In North Spain it has been recorded from different 

 points, such as La Junquera, Cerdania, Panticosa (Bosca, in Bull. 

 Soc. Zool. de France, t. v. p. 247). 



Habits. 



The distribution of M. aspera in the Pyrenean region is not 

 as yet exactly ascertained. We only know that this species occurs 

 in lakes in the high mountains, and that it is common enough in 



