52 Proceedings, 



four Lizards and three Snakes ; they are vertebrates breathing 

 through their lungs. 



Allied to the true reptiles are Amphibians, ■which are 

 divided into those that have tails all their hves, and those 

 tliat cast their tails. The former are represented in England 

 by the Newt and Eft ; the latter by Toads and Frogs. The 

 tailless Amphibians enter life as perfect fish -with gills. 

 When in the tadpole state, they do much to keep ponds clear 

 by eating impurities. The tongue of the Toad is hung the 

 reverse way to ours, being hung from its lips. It breathes by 

 means of bellows under its lip, and may be smothered by 

 having its mouth held open. It sheds its skin, and eats it. 



Reptiles are divided into four families, distinguished by 

 their outer coverings of scales or plates : — Alligators, Tor- 

 toises, Lizards, and Snakes. In England we occasionally 

 meet with the Green Lizard, Lacerta viridis. The little 

 Brown Lizard is abundant. The Slow Worm also is shown 

 by its skeleton to be a Lizard, having rudimentary legs ; it 

 has a small fixed mouth, and further difi'ers from the Snakes 

 in the absence of barbed scales. 



Our only poisonous Snake is the Adder ; in the front of the 

 Adder's jaw are two bones containing long, pipe-like teeth, 

 and at their base are the poison-fangs. The Smooth Snake 

 is a scarce species, found in the New Forest. The Einged 

 Snake is abundant on boggy heaths ; it has from 300 to 400 

 nervous centres, and is naturally highly sensitive. 



Mr. Lomax exhibited living specimens of the Einged Snake, 

 Toad, and Slow Worm. 



Evening Meeting. — November 19th, 1886. 

 Mr. J. B. Crosfield exhibited a branch of Easpberries in 

 full fruit, and also a small branch of Deutsia scahra with about 

 half-a-dozen leaves at the tip bright red, while the lower 

 leaves were of the usual green colour ; there was a ring round 

 the stem immediately below the red and above the green 

 leaves, from which the bark had been entii-ely removed, from 

 causes unknown, and the scar had healed. 



