272 C. SASAKI 



thus live, as regards light, under conditions similar to those of 

 cave life. 



The manner in which they secure their food is correctly stated 

 by Temminck and Schlegel, p. 129. "They slowly approach their 

 prey and, hy a swift lateral movement of the head, seize it with their 

 teeth : holding it for some time in the mouth, the next act consists 

 in swalloAving it." 



The Salamander is eaten by Japanese, and the flesh, when pro- 

 perly cooked, is said to be delicious. It is also used for medicinal 

 purposes by both Japanese and Chinese, being supposed to be good 

 for " Rogai," a kind of consumption. 



Young Specimens. 



The smallest individual found by Siebold measured about 30 cm., 

 and show^ed no trace of external gills or branchial clefts. The 

 youngest of my specimens, measuring 19 to 20 cm., have three pairs 

 of very short branchial processes (from 3 to 5 mm. in length), at- 

 tached just inside the branchial orifice. Each process is somewhat 

 flattened and tapering, and most of them still have branchlets. 



The color differs from that of the mature individual only in 

 being lighter. 



In another specimen, 20.5 cm. in length, the gills have almost 

 wholly disappeared, but the branchial slits are still to be seen. 



Another individual, 24.5 cm. in length, shows no trace of the 

 gills, and the branchial orifice has completely closed, its original 

 position being marked by a light streak. In this specimen a few of 

 those dermal protuberances, characteristic of the adult forms, are to 

 be seen on the dorsal surface of the head. In the larger specimens 

 these protuberances are thickly crowded on the dorsal side of the 

 head, extending down the sides and on the lateral portions of the 



