and Structure of the Aquatic Salamander. Ill 
the head a little elevated, their nostrils were above the surface 
of the water, so that they could respire with ease. A few days 
after this, while seeking with his eye for a male and female the 
most suitable for repeating the experiment of artificial impreg- 
nation, he remarked, almost without wishing it, that there was 
not a single egg at the bottom of the vessel. While indulging 
his surprise at this fact, his attention was recalled by observing 
one of his salamanders approach towards a leaf of the plant, and 
direct its snout to it, as if wishing to smell it. He then saw the 
animal move gently on the leaf, in the direction of its breadth, 
and, resting upon it, push back the hind-limbs, so as to fold 
backward and inclose between its feet the leaf on which it rested. 
It remained about a minute in this position, and then withdrew, 
leaving the leaf doubled in such a way that its apex was turned 
back on the petiole. “ At the sight of this new fact,” says the 
author, “ I forgot entirely the artificial impregnation, and pre- 
pared myself to observe, most attentively, what my salamander 
was to do. Scarcely had three minutes elapsed, when I saw it 
approach towards another leaf, and apparently disposed to place 
itself upon it. At this period, casting my eyes accidentally on 
the branches of persicaria , I discovered many other leaves 
doubled back, like that which I had just seen so disposed by 
the salamander. I withdrew immediately the packet of plants 
from the tub, and, examining the leaves, I found that each of 
them inclosed an egg. I remarked also, that these leaves were 
unable to redress themselves, because their two surfaces were 
held together by a kind of glue, with which the envelope of each 
egg is covered ; so that, to open a leaf, I was obliged to over- 
come the resistance which this glue presented. 
“ Satisfied so far with this discovery, I set out immediately for 
the ditches from which the salamanders had been taken, and 
gathering many branches of persicaria , which were in the water, 
and the leaves of which were similarly folded, I convinced my- 
self, by observing them with care, that the eggs of salamander^ 
do not escape from the animal, like strings of beads, as some 
naturalists have lately asserted ; nor do they fall to the bottom 
of the water, as Spallanzani, with so much confidence, main- 
tained. I satisfied myself of this truth, by opening all the leaves- 
which I had drawn from the water, and finding in each, as in 
