15 



On February 23rd, I felt sure that real spring had set in for 

 good. We were walking on a road cut on the face of a steep and 

 wooded precipice, and discovered a fine male Lacerta rir'ulis basking 

 in the sunshine beside a large stone. He was at least, with his long- 

 tail, fifteen inches in length. The vivid green of his body and the 

 beautiful blue of his throat showed that he had been out of his 

 winter quarters for some days. The movements of this lizard are 

 exceedingly swift. In Italy I have tried to catch this species with 

 a butterfly net as it rushed along a hedgerow, but without success. 

 On this occasion our polite advance was answered by a rapid 

 retreat into a neighbouring hole in the rock. This species seemed 

 fairly common in the neighbourhood. Only one blindworm was 

 noticed. It was not until May 8th that we saw the first snake. It 

 was coiled up on the top of a garden wall preparing to slough. A 

 few days later I saw it in the same place in its new skin, when 

 it appeared quite black. Later on I saw several of these 

 black snakes which Mr. Boulenger, F.R.S., has kindly in- 

 formed me, belong to the species known as the whip-snake 

 ■ {Zanienis r/eijioneims). They were very quick in their move- 

 ments, and made quite a noise when they happened to glide 

 over any dead leaves. Though I managed to touch two of them 

 with my stick, they did not attempt any defence, their only 

 idea being apparently that of escape. The larger ones must have 

 been nearly three feet in length. Though they do not attack human 

 beings they are snakes, and as such are greatly feared by the 

 ignorant. Adders are said to be very common in the district, and 

 probably are; but though I looked over many likely places, I failed 

 to find any. On May 8rd we walked in the Sarnthal, and noticed 

 that some muddy water in a deep cart rut was in an agitated con- 

 dition, though there was no wind. By means of our sticks we 

 drove out a toad, which immediately went quite flat, putting its 

 limbs over its back. It looked exactly as though a cart-wheel had 

 run over it. We turned it over and found its under parts adorned 

 with orange. It reminded me of the Fire Toad, Bombinator ii/nens, 

 which I had previously met with in Germany ; but it was a larger 

 and greyer species, and orange instead of deep red beneath. I have 

 since identified it as Boiubinator pacJnjpns. There were several in 

 this cart rut, but we failed to find any in the pools about the rocky 

 bed of the adjacent river, Talfer. I was glad to see them, as the 

 species was quite new to me. It is stated in the "Cambridge Natural 

 History" (p. 155) that the secretion of the skin of this species is 

 exceedingly poisonous and that it folds its limbs over its back when 

 frightened, to show the w^arning colour beneath. We noticed edible 

 frogs in a reedy pond in the valley, and the common salamander 

 was to be found, but we only saw specimens taken by other people. 

 Quadrupeds appeared very scarce. I believe we did see a w^ild mouse 

 or two in the woods. Birds were more abundant. The two most 

 •common of the district were the blackbird and the chatifinch, the 



