SYSTEM OF NATURE. 
53 
Proteus and Siren the form and respiration were persistent, 
yet different from the true reptiles. As a last resource, 
I tried the generation: this, I learned on the united testi¬ 
mony of all authors, was attended with striking and con¬ 
stant peculiarities. In the well-known example of the frog, 
the male, after enacting a part somewhat similar to that of 
a midwife, actually impregnates the ova subsequently to 
their extrusion ; and this was said to be a characteristic of 
the entire group : unfortunately for this hypothesis, I am 
able to adduce counter testimony—that of my own eyes. 
In the common water-newt ( Lacerta palustris, Linn.) a 
coition—that is a contact—positively takes place, and this 
not at the moment of oviposition, nor apparently immedi¬ 
ately preceding it. In the spring, the male may be seen 
swimming about, in constant attendance on the female, gene* 
rally rather above her : the tendency to sexual intercourse 
may be inferred from an unusual flourishing of the tail in 
both sexes, more particularly in the male : after divers little 
amatory preludes, the male descends suddenly to the back of 
the female ; she then twists a portion of her body, so as to 
meet his embraces : the whole affair is instantaneous, and 
it is extremely difficult to vouch for any of the details, the 
water frequented by these animals being mostly turbid : 
the contact is as brief as that of swallows ; but there 
is no doubt that on these occasions actual coition does 
take place. This fact is in direct contravention to the 
published testimony of all herpetologists, except Mr. Bell, 
who appears to have seen something of the same kind. 
This author says that “ the male seeks and follows the 
other sex; and the tail of the former is vibrated, and, as it 
were, smacked, by a motion similar to that of smacking a 
whip, several times during only a few moments. Rusconi 
