218 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



here, it is evident that alpestris possesses some capabilities 

 enabling it successfully to invade a region to which it is not 

 entitled by name. 



I have missed this newt in the immediate vicinity of the 

 Rhine, but, with this exception, have found it at every level up 

 to the summit of the Feldberg. In the Alps it occurs at a still 

 higher elevation, as I caught one in some water near the top of 

 the Spliigen Pass (Fatio gives " about 2500 metres," Gredler 

 6500 (German) feet as the highest point of its occurrence). It is 

 found throughout Germany, though sometimes not abundantly. 



I have observed nothing remarkable about the colour of Baden 

 specimens, except that the throat in some, perhaps younger, 

 males, is as much spotted as with the females ; but there are one 

 or two other points I should like to notice. 



In the first place, one may come across (in summer) specimens 

 of alpestris whose pyes are devoured by the larvae of some fly, 

 probably Lucilia sylvarum, Meig. (Zool. Anzeiger, 1891, p. 455). 

 It would be interesting to know whether the other newts are free 

 from this parasite, and why, if this is due to their more aquatic 

 life, some terrestrial batrachians, such as Rana fusca, appear 

 equally exempt from its attacks. 



Again, I once caught a female of this species, near Karlsruhe, 

 with as distinct a crest as the male. This is a pretty frequent 

 phenomenon among some mammalia and birds, but I only 

 recollect one other instance with the Urodela (Leydig, ' Molche 

 d. Wiirtt. Fauna,' p. 39), though it occurs again commonly 

 enough among lower animals. 



Further I may call attention to the fact that most European 

 species of this order, when entering upon their land life, assume 

 either much brighter or much duller colours. I have certainly 

 found T. alpestris, in the Alps, as brilliantly coloured in August 

 as in spring, and it was this circumstance which suggested to me 

 the possibility that the brighter tints of others at this late season 

 may have been developed as warning colours, while the obscurer 

 shades of the majority are protective. Without wishing to draw 

 a general inference from a few cases, I may note, as bearing on 

 the point, that the Marmorated Newt, on leaving the water, 

 becomes "much more brilliantly coloured" than before, and that 

 a similar acquisition of brighter tints takes place with the young 

 Salamander (cf. also Chioglossa lusitanica) on definitely quitting 



