AQUAKIVU. 



to practical experiment. If the yontliful proprietor of an 

 aquarium took a tadpole, and with a pair of scissorB cut its 

 tail oflF, the chances are that the life of either portion would 

 not be worth an hour's purchase. 



The Newts are well worthy a place in the aquarium. Unfor- 

 tunately (fortunately, perhaps, a newt would write it) the 

 popular feeling is against this singular creature, and we have 

 often heard even grown-up people declare that they could not 

 be comfortable with such a hideous little monster in their 

 neighbourhood. There is no denying that the eft, as it is 

 sometimes called, has a weird and antediluvian aspect; but 

 surely it is none the less desirable on that account. " It is so 

 dreadfully suggestive of crocodiles and such-like dreadful 

 things," says some one else ; well, there is no accounting for 

 taste, it is true; but to owr thinking, this latter, instead of form- 

 ing an objection, is a decided recommendation. 



However, there he is for any one who has a fancy for him. 

 There is scarcely a ditch in the country in which the great 

 water-newt may not be found. It is about six inches long, 

 and in appearance much resembles the salamander, of whose 

 fire-resisting powers such funny stories are told. Its colour 

 on the upper parts is dark brown, the sides being marked with 

 email white specks ; the under parts are bright orange-colours, 

 blurred with irregular black patches. The tail is flat, with 

 thin edges, and flattened at the extremity. The eyes are of a 

 bright gold-colour, and the head small. It is a terrible glut- 

 ton, and the tadpole's worst enemy. He is worse than a 

 glutton — ^he is a cannibal, and has been repeatedly caught in 

 the act of devouring his cousin, the little water-newt. Bell, 

 the naturalist, relates that he has captured the big newt with 

 the little newt stuck in his throat. 



One of the most marvellous facts connected with this 

 animal is its powers of reproducing its limbs. Among other 

 cruel experiments that the growth of science appears to demand, 

 has been that of cutting off' the limbs of this species of 

 Amphibia for the sake of seeing whether nature would repair 

 the wanton outrage. The arms or thighs of these animals 

 have been amputated, sometimes on one side, sometimes on 

 the other, or both on the same side, and the Umbs in every 

 case have been re-produced — ^the toes even being re-formed and 

 endowed with motion. The unlucky creature's tail has been 

 cut off' by the stump, but in a short time it has pushed its 

 way out and become a tail again. In one case the same limb 



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