REPTILES 

 AND BATRACHIANS 



Little more than a list can be given of the reptiles and the 

 batrachians of the county of Durham, as attention appears only to have 

 been paid to them in a very general way. All the common species are 

 known in the county with the exception of the grass snake [Tropidonotus 

 natrix) ; but there is no record of the natterjack toad {Biifo ca/amita), 

 and the remaining rarer British species are hardly likely to occur. 



REPTILES 



LACERTILIA 



1. Common Lizard. Lacerta vviipara, Jacq. 



Bell — Zootoca vivipara. 



Often to be seen in dry places and about 

 old walls, and probably abundant in most parts 

 of the county. 



2. Slow-worm or Blind-worm. Anguh fra- 



gi/is, Linn. 

 Common ; often seen on roads. 



OPHIDIA 



3. Ringed Snake or Grass Snake. Tropi- 



donotus nairix, Linn. 

 Bell — Natrix torquata. 



It seems doubtful whether the grass snake 

 has a real place in the fauna of the county. 

 It has undoubtedly occurred as an ' escape ' ; an 

 instance of this at Sunderland was recorded by 



the late Richard Howse (quoted in Leighton's 

 British Serpents), but Howse did not believe 

 the species ever occurred naturally. It has 

 been described in certain newspaper articles as 

 frequent, but no confirmation has ever been 

 forthcoming. If the grass snake is an inhabi- 

 tant of the county at all it is undoubtedly 

 very scarce and by no means 

 distributed. 



generally 



4. Common Viper or Adder. Fipera berus, 

 Linn. 



Bell — Pe/iaj berui. 



Common, especially about dry, scrubby 

 woods and the borders of moorlands. Full-sized 

 local examples arc in the Newcastle Museum. 

 Colour variations are met with here as else- 

 where, and Howse states [loc. cit.) that 

 individuals of the extreme types known as the 

 black and the red adder have been taken. 



BATRACHIANS 



The following appear to be as common 2. Common To.id. Bufo vulgaris, Laur. 

 here in suitable situations as they are in otlier 

 parts of England. 



CAUDATA 



EC AU DATA 3. Crested Newt. Molge cristata, \m\(. 



I. Common Frog. Rana teiiiporaria, Linn. 4. Common Newt. Molge vulgaris, Linn, 



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