450 _ THE NEWT. 
inhabit England, and some authors consider that the number of. species is 
still greater. We shall, however, according to the system employed in this 
work, follow the arrangement of the British Museum, which accepts only 
two species, the others being merely noted ‘as varieties. 
The CRESTED NEwT derives its popular name from the membranous crest 
which appears on the back and upper edge of the tail during the breeding 
season, and which adds so much to the beauty of the adult male 
This creature is found plentifully in ponds and ditches during the warm 
months of the year, and may be captured without difficulty. It is tolerably 
hardy in confinement, being easily reared even from a very tender age, so 
that its habits can be carefully noted. 
At Oxford we had some of these animals in a large slate tank through 
which water was constantly running, and which was paved with pebbles, 
and furnished with vailisneria and other aquatic plants, for the purpose of 
imitating as nearly as possible the natural condition of the water from which 
the creatures had been taken. Here they lived for some time, and here the 
eggs were hatched and the young developed. 
It was a very curious sight to watch the clever manner in which the female 
Newts secured their eggs ; 
for which purpose they used 
chiefly to employ the vallis- 
neria, its long slender blades 
being exactly the leaves 
best suited for that purpose. 
They deposited an egg on 
one of the leaves, and then, 
by dexterous management of 
the feet, twisted the leaf 
= round the egg, so as to con- 
= = hie it, and contrived to 
SE oS asten it so firmly that the 
————— twist always retained its 
form. The apparent shape 
SMOOTH NEWT.—(Lophinus punctatus.) of the egg is oval and semi- 
Jin transparent, but on looking 
more closely it is seen to be nearly spherical, of a very pale yellow-brown, 
and enclosed within an oval envelope of gelatinous substance. 
When the young Newt is hatched it much resembles the common tadpole, 
but is of a lighter colour, and its gills are more developed. It rapidly increases 
in size until it attains a length of nearly two inches, the fore-legs being then 
tolerably strong, and the hinder pair very small and weak. 
_ Towards the breeding season the male changes sensibly in appearance ; 
his colours are brighter, and his movements more brisk. The beautiful 
waving crest now begins to show itself, and grows with great rapidity, until 
it assumes an appearance not unlike that of a very thin cock’s-comb, extending 
from the head to the insertion of the hinder limbs, and being deeply toothed 
at the edge. The tail is also furnished with a crest, but with smooth edges. 
When the animal leaves the water, this crest is hardly visible, because it is 
so delicate that it folds upon the body and is confounded with the skin ; but 
when supported by the water, it waves with every movement of its owner, 
and has a most graceful aspect. 
After the breeding season, the crest diminishes as rapidly as it arose, and in 
a short time is almost wholly absorbed. Some remnants of it, however, always 
remain, so that the male may be known even in winter by the line of irregular 
excrescencesalong the back, The use of thiscrest is not known, but it evidently 
