86 THE MAMMALS, REPTILES, AND FISHES OF ESSEX. 



mostly recovered. Some dogs develop quite a fondness for 

 killing these reptiles, and manage it with perfect impunity. 

 Mr. E. A. Fitch says (Essex Nat., vol. ii., p. 112), that on 

 February i8th, 1887, while removing an old gate-post on 

 Saltcote Farm, Goldhanger, to replace it, seventeen adders 

 and two snakes were found underneath, having chosen, I 

 suppose, cavities as hybernacula. 



A specimen of the dark form of the Adder (" var g " of 

 Jenyns, Man. Brit. Vert. Animals, p. 298) was recorded by 

 Mr. W. Cole from Loughton, in 1883 (Journ. Proc. Essex Field 

 Club, vol. iv., p. x.), and is now in the Epping Forest 

 Museum. 



Class BATRACHIA. 



Order ECAUDATA. 



Family RANID^. 

 Genus RAN A, Linn. 



Rana temporaria, Linn. COMMON FROG. 



This well-known animal is extremely common, and 

 generally distributed, especially in the neighbourhood of 

 water. 



Rana esculenta, Linn^. EDIBLE FROG. 



This is not a native of our county ; but, as Mr. E. Newman 

 points out (ZooL, 1848, p. 2268) that it was naturalised by 

 Mr. Doubleday at Epping, it may fairly, I think, be inserted 

 in this list. I have not heard that it has established itself. 



Family BUFONID^E. 

 Genus BUFO, Laur. 



Bufo vulgaris, Laur. COMMON TOAD. 

 Like the frog, this is common and generally distributed. 



