Trotsky suggested that if Newtlings give birth to live young, as do Fire
Salamanders, we can explain away the cuddly behaviour in The Rainbow
Mounds. However, even if they give birth to live young it doesn't mean that
they feel the same way about their young as we do. Now I've started
thinking about them in a bit more detail, I don't want my Newts to suffer
"humans in froggy suits" syndrome.
[Incidentally, while I was looking up Fire Salamanders in my Larousse, I discovered that there's an American Newt that after metamorphosing becomes almost exclusively a land based critter for 2 or 3 years before attaining a fully aquatic adult form. Sound familiar? Okay, so which of the original RQ authors collected Newts as a child?]
Ah well. It's time to do the Desmond Morris bit and write a book: "The Naked Newt."
Gary says: "Both the articles in Eldar Secrets and River of Cradles state that the primary activity of the breeding adults is caring for the not-yet intelligent tadpoles, so I doubt there is any cannibalism going on..."
Even if the parents are looking after them full time, it must be a bit of a bugger keeping track of Great Newt knows how many offspring. One careless munch and someone's got a chunk out of their tale and all the others think dinner is served. While I doubt the parents eat their young (as they do in Cornwall), they might not be adverse to seeing which ones are the fitter and come out on top. The Great Newt might even suggest it in his manual of parenting tips.
He goes on: "Also, since wetlands that aren't being drained or poluted by industrial societies are generally incredibly rich in things to eat, I suspect that the primary cause of roving is social/mythic rather than biological."
Just because the wetlands aren't being drained doesn't mean they've got as many Newts as can fit packed in there. After each breeding season there'd be more Newts than the area could support and some would have to die or move out. Anyway, as for no polution, I think living in the Zola Fel is not the most pleasent experience: You get a daily supply of "Gerak's Log" (a.k.a. Lead Zepellins) floating down the river from the Trolls in the Rubble, ammonia from the Zebras wazzing in the water and gallons of Bromide poured in by the Sun County anti-perversion patrols.
Anyway, there's no difference between biological and social behaviour. (Hows that for a sweeping statement?) Social behaviour is usually a result of biology. If the Newtlings wander about, you can be sure it's got survival of the species as the root reason why. The Newtlings themselves say it's 'cause the Great Newt told us. Mythic behaviour is just the veneer that gets slapped over the top to explain things.
I really liked the idea of Newtlings gathered around trying to be
"captured" by Dragonewts. Maybe Dragonewts have bands of Newtlings
following them about, pathetically trying to be enlisted - bit like
fighting your way through Athens airport avoiding the taxi drivers and
porters.
Alex sides with me over the meaning of Neotenic. I think Trotsky meant that as Bachelor Newtlings aren't sexually mature, they're not adult at all. Alex finally makes a very old joke about Master Ken Redragon and his Newts. I believe he had a companion in Master Bernie Blackdragon who had his own Newts.
Here's two more things I've been thinking about:
Ash
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