[ 53° 1 
in the Knowledge of Nature, and consequently are 
not unworthy a Philofophefs Notice, I take the 
Liberty to lay before you fomc Obfervations on the 
common Lacerta aquatica , Water- Lizard-, Newt 
or Eft 5 a Creature which moft People, tho’ with- 
out any good Reafon, have imagined to be venom- 
ous and mifchievous, and, from a groundlefs Aver- 
fion have avoided and negleded much more than it 
deferves. 
The Animal I fpeak of is to be found in the 
Spring, and during the whole Summer Seafon, in 
moft Ditches and (hallow ftanding Waters through- 
out England-, and is, I believe, unknown to very 
few 5 but, left it fhould poflibly be miftaken for any 
other Creature, I beg Leave to lay a Pidure of what 
I mean before you. 
When fully grown, it is about 6 Inches in Length* 
The Head is like that of a Frog, with a Couple of 
fine large Eyes : It has four fhort Legs, the two forc- 
moft having four Toes, and the two hindermoft five, 
refembling the Feet and Toes of a Frog 5 but not at 
all webbed, as the hindermoft Feet of a Frog con- 
ftantly are: The Tail is very thin and flat, and lies 
not horizontally, but ftands up in a perpendicular 
Polition, and ferves as a Rudder to dired it in Swim- 
ming. It is amphibious, but lives moftly in the 
Water, wherein, tho* it can Swim, it moft frequently 
crawls about at the Bottom, riling to the Surface 
only now- and- then, with a wriggling Motion, to 
throw out a Bubble of ftale Air, and take in a frefh 
Quantity of new. There is Some Difference in their 
Colour, but the Back is ufually of a light brown, and 
the Belly yellowifh Spotted with black Spots. In 
Winter- 
