2198 Reptiles. 



place in the egg. Before the fluid of the milter is added, all the eggs are of a very 

 brilliant reddish yellow ; the instant it is blended, the outer cuticle of the egg becomes 

 opaque and lustreless. As soon as the milt is expressed in the water with the eggs, 

 the whole must be agitated with the hand for about a minute, and then the operation 

 is completed. You may now place the eggs upon the shingle, taking great care, 

 however, that they do not lay one upon another, and cover them with fresh shingle, 

 two inches deep, letting the spring water flow freely over them ; and in a hundred days 

 you have the fry." — p. 29. 



" Description of a Species of Newt." — The paper thus headed in the last number of 

 the ■ Zoologist ' (Zool. 2149) must be interesting to those persons who have paid par- 

 ticular attention to these reptiles. The remarkable characters of this new species are so 

 well recorded by Mr. Wolley, the author of the paper, that there is no difficulty in 

 distinguishing it from its near relatives. It is not uncommon in this neighbourhood. 

 I have for several years taken as many specimens as I wished, in March, April, and 

 the early part of May. In May, 1845, 1 sent some living specimens to Professor Bell, 

 author of the ' British Reptiles,' and the following is an extract from a note which I 

 received from that gentleman soon after : " I thank you for your kindness in sending 

 the newts, three of which are still living, and in good health, in a glass globe. The 

 species is undoubtedly distinct, and I believe absolutely new, not only to this country, 

 but to science." I have long anticipated a second edition of the ' Reptiles,' contain- 

 ing a notice, name, and full description of this pretty species, from the able pen of 

 the author of that interesting work. On writing to Professor Bell about this newt, I 

 mentioned nearly all the characters which are given in Mr. Wolley's paper. I extract 

 the following from my communications on the subject : " You will find that it pos- 

 sesses abundant and evident characters, which will distinguish it from the species you 

 have described in ' British Reptiles.' The hind feet are webbed, and the tail termi- 

 nates with a thread-like process ; it ends abruptly at the commencement of this fila- 

 ment. The colour and markings you will find very pretty, and different from those 

 of the known species." There can be no doubt of the specific identity of the newt 

 found about Edinburgh, so well described by Mr. Wolley, and those which I sent to 

 Professor Bell ; and I believe that the specimens mentioned in his paper as having 

 been sent from Devonshire are those which I have mentioned above, although Bridg- 

 water is in Somerset, not in Devon. A gentleman residing somewhere about midway 

 between Edinburgh and Bridgwater, who has devoted a great deal of time, with much 

 scientific attention, to the natural history of newts, is of opinion that Lissotriton punc- 

 tatus and L. palmipes are one species, of different ages ; and he is preparing for pub- 

 lication a paper on this subject. How ours, with webbed hind feet and caudal 

 filament, with which this gentleman has lately become acquainted, will be treated, I 

 shall be anxious to know. — Wm. Baker ; Bridgwater, July 10, 1848. 



