Maureen Joseph, age 9, of Dover, Del., for her question:

HOW IS A NEWT BORN?

A newt is a type of salamander and is classified as an amphibian, along with frogs and caecilians. Newts hatch from eggs which are laid singly in the spring on the leaves of plants under water.

The young newts hatch after three to five weeks. They live in the water and breathe by means of gills.

In time, the newts develop lungs and may take to the land. Many people call them elves. The elves stay on land up to three years before they return to water to breed. They often shed their skins.

The kind of newt best known in the United States is the red spotted newt. It is about four inches long.

Newts eat insects, worms and mollusks.