REPTILES AND BATRACHIANS 



and the loud croak, consisting of a single roll- 

 ing note. It prefers sandy localities, and 

 breeds in May and June, rarely as early as 

 end of April. Colonies of natterjacks fre- 

 quent ponds for the purpose of breeding, but 

 are rarely met with in the water before dusk, 

 when they indulge in choruses, heard a mile 

 away or more, often called ' brass bands ' by 

 the villagers in west Surrey. These colonies 

 are very local, and appear to shift their quar- 

 ters without apparent reason. They have 

 long been known from Cobham, Woking, 

 and Wisley Heath ; and I have ascertained 

 their presence at Ripley, and between that 

 village and Byfleet. I have also been in- 

 formed of their occurrence at Horsell and 

 Worplesdon, north of the downs, and on 

 Blackheath, south of the downs ; and Mr. 

 Bryan Hook has found them abounding near 



Farnham, where they are called 'jar-bob.' 

 They used to be found many years ago at 

 Deptford, in the immediate vicinity of Lon- 

 don. I have never come across them in any 

 part of east Surrey. 



CAUDATA 



4. Crested Newt. Molge cristata, Laur. 



5. Common Newt. Molge vu/garis, Linn. 



6. Palmated Newt. Molge palmata, Schneid. 



This small newt, which may always be 

 easily distinguished from the common species, 

 in both sexes and at all seasons, by the 

 absence of pigment on the throat, which is 

 flesh-coloured, is very local in this county, 

 and has only been recorded from Tooting 

 and Woking. It is found near Haslemere. 



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