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THE REPTILES AND AMPHIBIA OP BRITAIN, 



Ringed Snake 

 Dumfries Snake 



Common Viper 



Snake Family, — (Serpen tidje). 

 Snake, (Natrix, Flem.J 



Natrix torquata (Ray). 

 Natrix Dumfrisiensis (Flem.) 

 Viper, (Vipera, Band. ) 



Vipera communis (Leach). 



CLASS IV.— AMPHIBIANS. 

 Order I. — Batrachian. 



Frog Family, — (Ranid^e). 



Frog, (Rana, Laurent.) 

 Common Frog Rana temporaria (Linn.) 



Edible Frog Rana esculenta (Linn.) 



Toad, (Bufo, Laurent.) 

 Common Toad Bufo vulgaris (Flem.) 



Natter-Jack Bufo calamita (Laurent.) 



Newt Family, — (Tritonid^e). 



Eft or Newt, (Triton, Laurent.) 

 Warty Eft Triton palustris (Flem.) 



Common Eft Triton punctatus (Bonap.) 



Striped Eft Triton vittatus (Gray). 



Observations. — Among the evidences of design exhibited in the 

 works of creation, there are none, in ray opinion, more striking and 

 conclusive than that which is displayed by the various animals of 

 the Class, the members of which have just been enumerated. With 

 the tadpole, or young of the Frog family, every common observer 

 must be acquainted. It lives exclusively in the water ; swims 

 about after the manner, and exhibits many of the characters and 

 all the habits, of the fish. For this purpose, it is provided with 

 gills, instead of lungs, for its respiratory organ ; with a tail, and a 

 horny beak or muzzle. It is perfectly destitute of limbs ; and the 

 organs destined, at a subsequent period, to execute the office of 

 lungs, exist merely in a rudimentary condition. It is, in fact, an 

 aquatic animal, fitted only to live in water ; and incapable of respir- 

 ing the common atmosphere. No sooner, however, has it attained 

 a certain age, than an extraordinary change of organization and 

 economy, peculiarly fitting it for the new life on which it must 

 now enter, is accomplished. The horny muzzle and tail are de- 

 tached ; the gills shrink, and are withdrawn ; the previously dor- 



