134 NOTES ON REPTILES, AMPHIBIA, AND PISH. 



Of the iSaurians (lizards), only three species ont ol: thirty- 

 one occur. 



Of the Ojihidia (snakes), three ont of twenty-fonr. 

 Of the Amphibia, six ont of twenty-five. 

 The Sanrians seem to find the temperature too low ; the 

 specicH getfciriin;' raoi'o plentiful a,nd the s|)ocim(!ns of our own 

 species larger by degrees m,s one travels southwards. 



The Ophidians seem to diminish, in proportion as the 

 Sanrians and Amphibia — on which they depend largely for 

 food — become scarcer. 



The Amphibians, finding the necessary conditions per- 

 manent in many lakes and ponds, seem to have fared the 

 best, and wo still retain one-(|uarter of the number of the 

 continental species. 



The tendency to variation .seems less in I'c^ptikiS tlian in 

 other classes of vertebrata ; for whilst wc; have species of 

 mammals and birds which are peculiar to our ish^s, tliore is 

 no species of reptile peculiar to Great Britain. 



Notwithstanding this, I feel sure that close observation 

 will show that some are snb-specifically different from theii' 

 European congeners, — their complete isolation makes it 

 almost certain. 



Beginning with the Sanrians (or lizards), of throe British 

 species we have two in our district. 



1. Zoo/.oca vivipara, the pretty little lizard common in 

 all suitable localities, hot, diy, and sandy phices, amongst 

 furze and heath, at Leigh, and Brocklcy, and on our Downs. 

 This active little species (varying from 5|- to 6| inches in 

 length) may be seen, in hot sunny weather, basking in the 

 heat, or darting at the small coleoptcra which nnike its 

 principal food. 



This species, like the next, is ovovivip,arous, the thin mem- 

 bi'ano of the egg bursting at the moment of birth. 



