The Zoologist — September, 1868. 1381 



same time every year as other land torloises do. — Thomas Bell; The Wakes, Selbome, 

 Alton, Hants. 



"Two Serpents and a Cat" (Zool. S. S. 1343). — I had some years since two 

 beautiful snakes from America, about eighteen inches in length, which I fed on frogs. 

 On one occasion one of the snakes seized the frog by the hind leg, and the other by 

 the head. Each continued to advance upon his proper portion of the poor frog, until 

 the jaws of each invaded its rival's. One of them immediately commenced a violent 

 shaking of the other and the frog, and thus after one or two efforts threw him off the 

 prey, which he proceeded to swallow without further hindrance. — Id. 



Lacerta viridis in the Rhine Valley. — Were any testimony required I could speak 

 to the accuracy of Mr. Alston's wayside notes, as far as the Black Forest and Rhine 

 Valley are concerned, as I was born and bred in the latter, and have trod many a 

 weary foot in search of its natural productions. There is, however, one remark of Mr. 

 Alston's which gives me the opportunity of pointing out a geographical fact in the 

 history of the true green lizard (Lacerta viridis); I allude to his statement that he has 

 never met with it in Germany (Zool. S. S. 1316). This beautiful reptile, it is well 

 known, occurs throughout the South of Europe and also (perhaps imported) near 

 Berlin ; but, according to F. von Tschudi, it has not been found north of the 

 St. Gothard in Switzerland. However, I have met with it abundantly, though 

 locally, all along the southern heights of the Black Forest; for instance, on the 

 Grenzacherberg (on Swiss ground), the Tiillingerberg, the Isteinerklotz, &c., heights 

 surrounding the Rhine near Basle; hut, singularly enough, I have never seen a 

 specimen on the Jurassian Hills opposite, although it is said to occur there too. 

 This lizard breeds in July and August in the loose rubbish-heaps shot out of the 

 numerous quarries on the hills ; but the eggs are mostly found in such stoue heaps as 

 are densely overgrown and of old date. It is a splendid sight to see a couple of these 

 fine lizards, often full a foot in length, bask in the afternoon's sun, lying motionless 

 and quite flat on some projecting ledge until disturbed by approaching footsteps, when 

 off they are over "stock und stein" to some convenient hiding-place, not to show up 

 agaiu for a considerable time. — Albert Mutter ; Penge, S.E., August 12, 1868. 



Shells seen or collected, early in June, during a Four-days' Walk 

 in Lancashire and Craven. By George Roberts, Esq. 



The following list would probably have been more extended had 

 the weather been more favourable for shell-hunting. Land-shells, 

 owing to the unusual dryness of the weather, were then, as they have 

 been through summer, exceedingly difficult to find. 



Cyclas cornea. 



Pisidium fontinale, var. 4-cinerea. Near Morecombe. 



Bithinia tentaculata. 



Zonites crystallinus. 



Helix aspersa. Very few abroad. 



