The Delta independent., 1894-01-24
ABOUT SALAMANDERS.
Origin Of the Belief That They Are
at Homo in Fire.
Some Funny Facts Concerning the Fabu-
lous Creatures, by a Man Who Is
Familiar with the Traits
Of Reptiles.

NODOuy kuOWS lO" luc Su peTSGlIlOu
regarding the supposed fireproof quail
ity Of the salamander had its rise"
said DIR. Stejneger, the reptilian expert
of the Smithsonian institution, to the
Washington Evening Star recently.
However, l can give what think is
q pretty good guess at it. To explain,
shall have to tell you story.
'Once upon time ! was camping
out with party, hunting end fishing.
We Lad lighted big fire, using for
fuel several old logs. While we were
sitting around watching the progress
of some cookery in which we were en-
gagged, young lady at my side gave 4
little scream and pointed into the
flames. l looked, and there was a small
lizard crawling right out from among
the glowing cmbers. 1t walked away
unhurt, apparently, through the grass
and made its escape.
''Now that salamander had occupied
a hole in one of the logs used for
fuel. Several species of its kind live
in old tree trunks. Doubtless this one
found that it was getting uncomforta-
bly, hot and crawled out. Being moist
and Shiny, it's body was protected from
injury by the fire long enough to ena-
BILE it to escape through the embers.
But the sight of the animal deliber-
ately making it's appearance from the
midst of the firew was certainly very sur
prising. Any ignorant person might
easily have been led to imagine that
the creature must be fireproof. 1t
seems to me quite probable that the
superstition took its rise from just such
occurrences.
There are so many species of sala-
manders that description Of them all
would fill book. They are to be
found all over the world, except in very
cold regions. In q popular sense, the
name 'salamander' is applied to all
batrachians with tails. That is rather
a loose definition. A tadpole is q
batrachian with tail, but it is not
salamander. The great majority of
salamanders are small, such rs the
nevis, found in springs. The biggest
species in this country is the so-called
mud cel,' or SIREN 1t has only two
feet, just behind the head, and it has
external gills when fully developed,
which is an exception to the rule
among salamanders.
"The biggest salamander in the world
is found in Japan. 1t attains q length
Of two feet and is related to the hell
bender Most salamandcrs live on in
sects, but the very large kinds eat
pretty nearly everything as rule.
For instance, the Japanese species is
omnivorous. So far as I am aware
none of the salamnnders is considered
good to eat, by civilized men, at all
events. Two years ago 1 obtained q
specimen of the only known species OF
blind salamander. 1t came from q cave
in Missouri. A so-called blind sala-
mander exists in certain caves of Aus-
tria, but it is not a true salamander,
though it would come under the popu-
lar definition, being a batrachian with
tail.
Zone peculiar thing about sala-
when full grown as when they arc
partly developed. That seems funny
paradox, does it not? You see, sala-
manders go through q mctamorphosis
during their lifetime, as frogs do.
though the change is not SO marked.
They have larval period, as the tad
pole is the larvB of the frog. On be-
coming adult they shrink up consid-
erably. During the larval period they
have gills like fish, which usually be-
come rudimentary. An odd exception
to this rule is the 'axolotr Of Mexico,
which does not undergo any such
mctamorphosis and never becomes
adult in n scientific sense. In other
words, it never reaches what is the
final stage with other salamanders, but
always remains larva.
"Axolotls Of different species are
found in various parts of the United
States, but they do undergo the change
and become adult. However, If you
keep one of them in water and prevent
it from escaping it will remain larvn
always and will undergo no meta
morphosis. In order to change it has
to get on dry land. Having become q
land animal, its external gills disap-
pear, being no longer required for
breathing in water. The Mexican AK
olotl never goes on land-at any rate,
not for longer time than its gills will