16 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



HABITS AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE YOUNG OF 

 THE SPOTTED SALAMANDER (SALAMANDRA 

 MACULOSA). 



By G. T. Bope. 



Though I have for years kept a few of these handsome and 

 interesting batrachians, they have never, except in one instance, 

 produced young ones until this summer, when a number of tad- 

 poles were born. 



As these were kept under pretty close observation, a slight 

 sketch of their early life may not perhaps be unacceptable to 

 some readers of ' The Zoologist.' 



During April I received three adult Salamanders, two of 

 which must, it seems, have been females. They were kept in a 

 vivarium or reptile-case fitted with a zinc tank. The floor was 

 covered with a layer of earth about two inches deep, on which 

 were laid old mossy gnarled stumps and bits of branches, more 

 or less hollow, rough stones, moss, &c. All three animals were 

 in excellent health, and fed well. 



On May 3rd I found three tadpoles in the water-tank, and at 

 once removed them to another vessel. 



Mr. Bateman, in his excellent and very useful work, ' The 

 Vivarium,' describing the development of the young of this 

 species, says : — " The fore legs of the tadpoles will be produced 

 first, then the hind ones, and, lastly, the external gills are 

 absorbed." Bearing this in mind, and having had but little 

 previous experience of the breeding and development of S. macu- 

 losa, I was not a little surprised to find that my tadpoles were 

 all born with four legs. They were kept in a large enamelled 

 bowl with a two-inch rim of tin soldered round the edge, and 

 slanting inwards, to prevent their escape ; for towards the close 

 of tadpolehood they become expert and persistent climbers, and 

 can easily ascend a smooth enamelled surface, even where it is 

 perpendicular. Their bowl was fitted up as an aquarium, with 



