6*8 
WATER-NEWT. 
situations., or seek an asylum in some hole under* 
ground, where they remain during the cold wea- 
ther. 
The common water-newts seldom exceed four 
inches in length : the male is at once distinguished 
from the female by an elevated membranous and 
sinuated crest, which runs along the back, and is 
continued to the very end of the tail. It is this 
part through which the circulation of the blood is 
so eminently conspicuous when viewed with a pro- 
per magnifying power. The ground colour of the 
male is olive brown, sprinkled with round black 
spots. The female is paler, and less distinctly 
spotted. Their food consists of worms and 
aquatic insects, and the prey is often contended for 
amongst them with great obstinancy. Dr.Townson 
kept some of them in a jar, and fed them with 
worms: the greatest possible stillness frequently 
prevailed among these little creatures before the 
food was given them ; but the moment the worm 
was dropped into the water, all was bustle and con- 
fusion, each attacking the other indiscriminately, 
and seizing it by the head, foot, or tail. These 
battles were the more singular, as the object of their 
contention often lay for some time unnoticed at the 
bottom of the jar. 
Almost all the lizard tribe change their skins 
once or twice a year ; but the water-newt repeats 
this operation oftener, and the manner in which 
this change is effected has been particularly re- 
lated by Baker, in the Philosophical Transactions 
