BRITTEN : SPONTANEOUS EXOTICS. 



45 



pass on ; but, on the contrary slionld motion result, they will certainly 

 attempt a capture, whether the object be a dainty worm, or an insipid boot- 

 lace. 



The newt having secured its prey by a sudden snapping movement^ 

 swallows it by relaxing its grip, and, at the same instant, rapidly darting 

 forward the head, when by the law of inertia, the animal glides further 

 within the jaws of death ; for truly, its " throat is an open sepulchre." By 

 repeating this action more or less frequently according to the length and 

 power of the creature, the act of swallowing is gradually accomplished. The 

 nature and form of their teeth, which are distinctly recurved, materially 

 assists in preventing the escape of any luckless creature that may be caught. 



The eye of the newt though very pretty, would not appear to be one of 

 the most perfect organs of vision. They have little or no power of rolling 

 the eye from side to side, or up and down — a power that confers innumerable 

 benefits upon its possessor. The consequence of this fixity of the eye is that 

 if a creature move ever so little to the right, or left, it is carried beyond the 

 range of vision, and is therefore safe from its attack. It is a most ludicrous 

 sight to see a newt snapping blindly at passing tadpoles ; and, to witness his 

 look of amazement on finding his teeth clash together instead of enclosing 

 the juicy body of his intended victim. 



This imperfection of vision, if it may be so termed, is the reason why I 

 stated previously that the newt became less destructive to the larvae of the 

 frog and toad, as they acquired strength and dexterity sufiicient to enable 

 them to dart rapidly through the water. 



Wakefield, March 30th, 1865. 



SPONTANEOUS EXOTICS. 



By James Britten. 



(Continued from Vol. I., page BQO.) 



Order XIX. — GERANiACEiE. 

 Geranium macrorhizum, L. There is a specimen of this plant in the 

 British herbarium at the British Museum, which bears the following note : — 

 Growing in great abundance on the walls at the North Hall, called by the 

 common people Valery Ann ; Rev. Aaron Neck, S. Mary Church, Newton 



