TIIE SALAMANDER. 
241 
greatest number are destroyed: and the rest find safety in 
their agility or minuteness. 
Die open-bellied crocodile is furnished with a false belly 
like the oppossum, where the young creep out and in as 
their dangers and necessities require. It is probable that 
this open-bellied crocodile is viviparous, and fosters her 
young that are prematurely excluded, in this second womb 
until they come to proper maturity. 
The Salamander. The ancients have described a lizard 
that is bred from heat, that lives in the flames, and feeds 
upon fire, as its proper nourishment. It will be needless 
to say that there is no such animal existing ; and that 
above all others, the modern salamander has the smallest 
athnity to such an animal. 
There has been not less than seven sorts of this animal 
described by Seba ; and to have some idea of the peculia- 
rity of their figure, if we suppose the tail of a lizard an- 
p led to the body of a frog, we shall not be far from precision. 
llut it is not in figure that this animal chiefly differs from 
the rest of the lizard tribe. In conformation it is unlike, as 
the salamander is produced alive from the body of its parent 
and is completely formed the moment of its exclusion. It 
differs from them also in its general reputation of beirur 
venomous; no trials, however, that have been hitherto made! 
seem to confirm the truth of the report. 
The salamander best known in Europe, is from ei<du to 
eleven inches long; usually black, spotted with yellow°; and, 
when taken in the hand, feeling cold to a great decree. There 
are several kinds. Our black water newt is reckoned amom' 
o le num ^ cl * The idle report of its being inconsumable by 
>e, has caused many of these poor animals to be burnt ; 
ut we cannot say as philosophical martyrs, since scarce 
an y philosopher would think it necessary to make the experi- 
ment. When thrown into the fire, the animal is seen to burst 
With the heat of its situation, and to eject its fluids. Weare 
giavely told in the Philosophical Transactions, that this is 
a method the animal takes to extinguish the flames. 
The whole of the lizard kind are so tenacious of life that 
l 'iey will live several hours after the loss of their head:’ they 
a ‘so sustain the want of food in a surprising manner. One of 
nem brought from the Indies, lived nine months without 
eJ.t r fo , od , than what u received f>om licking a piece of 
ruq on w h lc h it was brought over* ; another was kept by 
a j in an empty vial, for six months, without any nourish- 
jj * Phi h Trans, amu 1661. N. 31. Alt. 7 . 
