A YOUNG NATURALIST. 



99 



ing the contempt with which PEncuerado pronounced this 

 name) " are afraid of it; once I was afraid of it myself, but 

 your papa has taught me to handle it without the least 

 fear." 



And the hunter placed the salamander in the boy's hand, 

 who cried out — 



" It is as cold as ice, and all sticky." 



" It must be so, as a matter of course ; the salamander, 

 like a fish, is a cold-blooded animal. The viscous humor 

 which is secreted by the skin of the salamander is able to 

 protect them for a short time from injury by fire, by means 

 of the same phenomenon by which a hand, previously wet- 

 ted, can be plunged into melting iron without burning it.* 

 Thus an idea has arisen that these batrachians can exist in 

 the midst of flames. Although these poor animals are deaf, 

 nearly blind, and remarkable for their timidity, poets, much 

 to the amusement of naturalists, have chosen the salamander 

 as an emblem of valor." 



Assisted by Sumichrast, I continued the examination of 

 the immense tree, which, being half rotted by the dampness 

 of the soil, supplied us with some very beautiful specimens 

 of various insects. 



Suddenly we heard Lucien speaking in supplicating 

 tones ; I ran towards him, and found him trying to prevent 

 PEncuerado, who had got possession of the salamander, 

 from making a trial of its powers of resisting fire. 



" All right, Chanito ; I will not leave it long on the 

 coals ; your papa said that these animals do not mind it a 

 bit." 



Lucien would not consent to this cruel experiment, but 

 carried the animal back to the tree on which we had found 

 it. 



* Thanks to the spheroidal condition of water, discovered by M. Bou- 

 tigny (of Evreux). 



