. Bulletin. Natural history; Natural history. November, 1961 Smith : Amphibians and Reptiles of I llixoii 41 stripe prominent in four specimens, weak in five, absent in one. Fourteen specimens from the southern third of the state exhibit the following variation: snout-vent length to mm.; total length 35 to 104 mm.; lateral red spots ringed with black, 0 to 9 (average ) ; lateral head stripe prominent in 1 specimen, weak in 13. Habits.—Notophthalmiis viridescens has a rather complicated life history, as adults have both a terrestrial and an aquatic stage. Presumably the subspecies
. Bulletin. Natural history; Natural history. November, 1961 Smith : Amphibians and Reptiles of I llixoii 41 stripe prominent in four specimens, weak in five, absent in one. Fourteen specimens from the southern third of the state exhibit the following variation: snout-vent length to mm.; total length 35 to 104 mm.; lateral red spots ringed with black, 0 to 9 (average ) ; lateral head stripe prominent in 1 specimen, weak in 13. Habits.—Notophthalmiis viridescens has a rather complicated life history, as adults have both a terrestrial and an aquatic stage. Presumably the subspecies louisian- ensis and viridescens have essentially the same life cycle, which in N. v. viridescens includes an underwater nuptial dance and deposition of spermatophores and eggs in winter or early spring. The eggs, which are attached individually to submerged vegeta- tion, hatch in 2 or 3 weeks, and the larvae transform usually in 2 or 3 months. The transformed newt is rather dry and warty- skinned. It soon loses its gills and fins; it is then called an eft. Because the eft lives under bark, logs, or rocks in typical sala- mander habitats, this is the form most often encountered in Illinois. After 2 or 3 years, the eft is sexually mature and ready for an aquatic existence. It develops fins and skin changes that permit aquatic respiration. The number of tiny efts that have been found in southern Illinois suggests that the initial aquatic stage may be shorter in louisianensis than the 2 or 3 months of viridescens. Newts eat a variety of invertebrates, mollusks be- ing a particularly important item. Illinois Distribution.—The central newt [ probably once occurred throughout the [ state except in the extreme western part. I All recent records are for either the northern I or for the southern fifth of Illinois, fig. 31. I Although records for the central part of I the state are at least 35 years old, there is 1 little reason to doubt them, inasmuch as the central newt is easily re
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