WHAT I FOUND IN MY DIGGING. 123 



After we had studied it to our hearts' content, and 

 admired and counted its spots, it was consigned to a 

 glass preserve jar half rilled with water, and left in peace. 

 Our prisoner did not, however, appear to be enjoying the 

 bath as much as we expected he would, but on the 

 contrary was evidently desirous of escaping the liquid 

 element, raising his head and forefeet above the surface 

 and looking anxiously through the transparent wall of 

 his prison with rather a doleful expression of coun- 

 tenance. 



He certainly was not happy, and I, having some com- 

 passion for poor " Gold Star " in his captive state, deter- 

 mined to release him. After a confinement of two days 

 I opened the jar and took him back to his home under 

 the stump in the grove. The released animal walked off 

 very leisurely, but no doubt enjoyed the sense of liberty, 

 which may be as dear to a salamander as to man. 



Some time afterwards I was describing my capture 

 to a gentleman who was much interested in the natural 

 history of Ontario. He said it was a true salamander, 

 belonging to the order Urodela, family Salamandrice ; 

 that he had often seen both the spotted and gold-starred 

 species in the forests of southern France, where they 

 abound. Like all the tribe they are great insect 

 devourers, and having no evil propensities are never 

 destroyed by the country people. 



When on the Continent, Mr. E was a great 



frequenter of the woods, seeking for specimens of birds 



