Observations upon the Reptilia and Batrachia of Gloucestershire. 
Read January 17th, 1888, by Mr C. A. WircHeELu. 
In Volume III of the Proceedings of the Cotteswold Club 
will be found a list of the Reptiles of Gloucestershire. This 
list is now complete, at least to the extent of my knowledge. 
The Geological history of Reptiles has, I believe, been treated 
before the Club by Mr Cornford. 
In the preparation of this paper I at first intended to 
record merely my own observations, but as such a record must 
of necessity have been somewhat disjointed, it seemed better 
to connect them by matter already commonly known, and thus 
render them more acceptable to those who might be kind enough 
to listen to my remarks. I will not occupy your time with a 
defence of my subjects; but this I will say, that every indi- 
vidual reptile (whether a snake two feet long, or a lizard only 
as many inches) has a character as distinct as his body from 
that of his fellows; and that if we would divest ourselves of 
that loathing which we seem naturally to feel when in close 
proximity to reptiles, we should discover in many of them 
pleasing features, harmony in their colourings, and grace in 
their movements. I have been familiar with them during 
eighteen years. 
The Green Lizard (Lacerta viridis). A few Lizards of this 
species were liberated some years ago on Leckhampton Hill. 
I am ignorant until what year these survived, or if any of them 
remain. This Lizard becomes, in confinement, an interesting 
pet. It will readily take food from the hand, and will eat many 
kinds of common soft-bodied insects and larve. It is an 
exceedingly handsome reptile, from a foot to 15 inches long, 
and is usually bright green in colour. 
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