114 Dr Ru scorn's Observations on the Natural History 
selves designed, and of which they have no sort of knowledge, 
may be compared, in some manner, to those who copy a manu- 
script, written in a language which they do not comprehend, and 
who, on that account, suffer to escape from their pen, in almost 
every line, some error which alters the original, or renders it un- 
intelligible. — Reflecting, I say, on this, I tried to raise myself 
above my fears, and, listening no longer to any thing but the 
lively desire I felt of presenting to the eyes of naturalists a 
faithful image of the interesting spectacle I had contemplated, I 
set myself to the work with a sort of enthusiasm.” 
Having made these preliminary remarks, Dr Rusconi pro- 
ceeds to describe the only two species of aquatic salamander 
which he has observed in the province in which he resides. 
These are the little salamander ( Salamandra exigua of Lau- 
ren ti), and the flat-tailed salamander (Salamandra platycauda 
of D'Aubenton). 
In Plate III. Fig. 1. is represented the male of the little sala- 
mander, of its natural size, as he appears in the season of love. 
The toes of the hind paws, at this period, are furnished with a 
membrane, spotted with black. The tail is very large, and pre- 
sents, along its inferior border, a stripe of fine clear red ; the su- 
perior border is continued even to the shoulders. But these or- 
naments are only transitory ; for, after the season of love, the 
membrane of the toes disappears, the tail shrinks remarkably, 
and, at its extremity, is reduced to a fine thread. 
In spring, when nature kindles the flame of love in these ani- 
mals, the male seeks with ardour the female. She, by swim- 
ming away, avoids his first approaches ; but he pursues her with 
constancy, and, as soon as she stops, he leaps before her, as if 
to obstruct her progress. He then bends forward his tail, which 
he agitates and shakes with surprising quickness, making, at the 
same time, little incitements to his companion, in order to pre- 
pare her for fecundation ; after which, he places himself by her 
side, and lashes her with his tail. 
The female of this species is represented in Fig. £., at the 
moment when she is tired with swimming to avoid the male. 
She now keeps her tail and paws immoveable, and suffers her- 
self to fall gently in the vessel. The male, profiting of this ex- 
haustion of her strength, leaps before her, as already described. 
