newt and the warty newt. I think I
once found the palmated newt near Eyton; the male of this species is
distinguished from other newts by having the hind legs webbed and by a
thin filament or thread at the end of the tail.

[Illustration: DONACIA.

_a, b._ Larvae, nat. size. _c._ Cocoons on root, nat. size. _d._
Beetle, slightly magnified, _e._ Head of larva.]

"What is this, papa," said Jack, "that I have found sticking to the
roots of this water-weed; they look like the eggs of some creature?"
They are not eggs, but the cocoons of a very common but pretty beetle
called _Donacia_. See, I will slit one open with my penknife. There
is the little animal inside, a white, fat, maggoty thing; it has two
curious hooks at the end of the tail, it has only just framed its
cell, and is about to change from the larval to the pupal state. Here
you see are other maggots among the roots; they have not yet made a
cocoon. I will open some more; here is one in its pupal condition.
Here is another almost ready to come out as a beetle. The _Donacia_
have all a metallic appearance and very beautiful they are, whether
blue, red, copper, or purple; the under side is covered with a fine
silky down. They are found in great numbers on water-weeds, and being
very sluggish are readily caught or picked off the plants they
frequent with the hand. Do you notice those small, flat, brown or
black dabs so common on almost any water-weed you pluck up? These are
planarian worms, and though not of prepossessing appearance generally,
are extremely interesting animals to study. These large, reddish, oval
or round cocoons are the eggs of the planariae. Here is one of the
largest of the family. It is of a milk-white colour, beautifully
marked with delicate tree-like branches; sometimes this species
(_Planaria lactea_) is of a light pink colour. The mouth is not
situated where mouths usually are, in the fore part of the body, but
almost in the centre. See, I will place this white planaria on my
hand; do you notice that it protrudes something you might perhaps say
was its tongue? It is not its tongue, however; it is a tubular
proboscis, and is very strong and muscular, and unlike the soft body
of the animal. By means of this proboscis the creature is enabled to
pierce the bodies of other creatures and to suck out their juices. I
have kept planariae under observation, and seen them drive this
proboscis through each other. These black and brown dabs often feed