SAL 
ulelefs, tend to animate the general fcene of na- 
ture, and ferve to link one clafs of beings with 
another. 
With regard to the Salamander, the whole tribe, 
from the moron to the gekko, are faid to be ve- 
nomous to a high degree; yet, when experiments 
have been tried, no kind of provocation could 
excite thefe animals to the rage of biting. They 
feem timid and inoffenfive, living only on worms 
and infedls; they are deftitute of fangs; and their 
teeth are fo very minute, as fcarcely to be able to 
inflift a wound. But as their teeth are evidently 
incapable of offending, the inhabitants of thofe 
countries where they are found have recourfe to a 
▼enomous flaver which they fuppofe ifllies from 
the mouths of thefe animals. They alfo tell us 
of a venom which proceeds from their claws. 
"Even Linnnsus feems to acknowledge the fa<ft; 
but thinks it probable that this venom may ra- 
ther proceed from their urine. 
With refpeft to it's powers of mifchief, the 
gekko is the moft remarkable of all animals of the 
Salamander kind : neverthelefs, even thofe perfons 
who calumniate this creature the moft, acknow- 
ledge it's friendly difpofition towards the human 
fpecies; and, though furnifhed with the moft 
deadly venom, it is never known to bite. To 
pronounce on the noxious or inoffenfive qualities 
of animals, without fome degree of experience, 
is undoubtedly abfurd; but, from an infpedlion 
of the teeth of lizards, as well as a knowledge of 
the harmlefs qualities of fuch as are found in Eu- 
rope, it is probable that the gekko has been un- 
juftly ftigmatizedj and that it's figure has involved 
it in the common reproach with ferpents. 
The Salamander beft known in Europe is from 
eight to eleven inches long, ufually black, fpotted 
with yellow; and, when taken in the hand, feels 
cold to a high degree. The idle report of it's 
being inconfumable by fire has caufed many of 
thefe poor animals to be burnt. When thrown 
into that all-devouring element, the creature is 
obferved to burft through the intenfe heat of it's 
fituation, and to ejeft it's fluids ; and this, we are 
gravely told in the Philofophical Tranfadlions of 
our own country, is the method which this ani- 
mal adopts to cxtinguifti the flames. 
The internal conformation of the Salamander 
is not eflentially diff'erent from other animals of 
the lizard kind: it is furniflicd with lungs, which 
afllft it in the aft of refpiration; as alfo with a 
heart having it's communications open, fo that 
the creature cannot eafily be deftroyed by water. 
The ovary of the female is double the fize of that 
common to others of this tribe ; and the male is 
furniftied with four tefticuli, inftead of two. But, 
what deferves particular notice, is the manner of 
this animal's bringing forth it's young alive. 
* The Salamander,' fays an ingenious author, 
begins to ftiew itfelf in fpring, and chiefly dur- 
ing heavy rains. When the warm weather re- 
turns, it difappears; and never quits it's hole ei- 
ther during great heats or fevere colds, both which 
are equally inimical to it's pleafure or exiftence. 
When taken in the hand, it appears like a lump 
of ice; it confequently loves the fhade, and is 
found at the roots of old trees furrounded with 
bru(h-wood at the bottom. It is fond of running 
along nev/-plowed grounds; probably in queft of 
worms, it's ordinary food. One of thefe (conti- 
nues our author) I took alive fome years ago in 
u ditch which bad b«en lately made: I laid it at 
SAL 
the foot of the ftairs on coming Iiome, and there 
it difgorged from it's throat a worm three inches 
long, that lived for an hour after, though wounded, 
as I fuppofe, by the teeth of the animal. I after- 
wards cut up another of thefe lizards, and faw not 
lefs than fifty young ones come from it's womb, 
all alive, and aftively running about the room.' 
Salamanders are all amphibious, or at leaft are 
found capable of fubfifting in either element. If 
thofe taken from the dry land are put into water, 
they will continue there in feeming health; and, 
on the contrary, fuch as are removed from the 
water will live on the land. In water, however, 
they exhibit a greater variety in their appearance. 
They fuftain the want of food in a furprifing man- 
ner: one of them, brought from the Eaft Indies, 
we are told, lived nine months without any other 
aliment than what it received from licking a lump 
of earth on which it was placed ; another was kept 
by Seba in an empty phial for fix months, without 
any nourifhment whatever; and Rhedi mentions 
a large one brought from Africa, that lived for 
eight months without any food whatever. Indeed, 
both Salamanders and lizards are nearly in a ftate 
of torpidity during the winter feafon ; and there- 
fore their great abftinence feems the lefs extraor- 
dinary. 
Salamander, Water; the Lacerta Paluftris 
of L.innasus. This animal, called alio the water- 
newt or eft,^ is common in fifh-ponds and other 
ftagnant waters; and is diftinguifhed from all the 
others by the flatnefs of it's tail. However, there 
are fome perfons who affirm, that there is no fpe- 
cific diff'erence between the land and Water Sala- 
mander, but that their variations arife folely from 
the nature of their fituations. During the whole 
fpring and fummer, the Water Salamander changes 
it's fkin every fourth or fifth day ; and, in the win- 
ter feafon, every fifteen. This operation, which 
is performed by means of the mouth and claws, 
feems to be attended with much difficulty and 
pain. Their caftfkins are frequently feen floating 
on the furface of the water; the animals are alfo 
fometimes obferved with a part of their old flcins 
fticking to one of their limbs, from which they 
have not been able to difengage themfelves; and 
thus, in fome meafure, appearing crippled: this 
likewife often corrupts, and the leg drops off^; but 
the animal does not feem to feel the want of it, 
for the lofs of a limb to all the lizard kind is but 
a trifling calamity. They live for feveral hours af- 
ter the lols of their heads; even under diflTedion, 
all their parts appear to be animated a confider- 
able time, but their tails preferve their motion 
the longeft. Salt, however, feems to be more ef- 
ficacious in deftroying thefe animals than even 
the knife; for, on being fprinkled with it, their 
whole bodies emit a vifcous liquor; and the crea- 
tures expire in a very few minutes under every 
fymptom of extreme agony. 
SALAMANDRINO. An appellation given 
by fom.e of the Italian ichthyologifts to that fpe- 
cies of falmon which Salvian denominates Sal 
Marinus. 
SALAMGA. A Philippine name for a fpe- 
cies of fea-fwallow, the neft of which is efteemed 
as an ingredient in foups. 
SALAR. A term by which fome ichthyolo- 
gifts exprefs the trout ; others, the falmon while 
very fmall. 
SALAYASIR. An appellation for a Philip- 
pine bird of the duck kind, common in thefe 
3 iflands. 
