REPTILES 

 AND BATRACHIANS 



The reptiles and batrachians of Devonshire have formed the subject 

 of several local lists, but of these all the writer has been able to consult 

 are of an uncritical nature. They are as follows : Turton, W., and King- 

 ston, J. F., Guide to Watering Places ; Teignmouth, Dawlish and Torquay, 

 part ii, Natural History of the District, 1830. Bellamy, J. C, T^he 

 Natural History of South Devon (1839), p. 236. Brooking Rowe, J., 

 ' Reptiles and Amphibians of Devon ' {transactions of the Plymouth In- 

 stitution, 1863, p. 86). D'Urban, W. S. M., 'Reptiles,' in Besley's 

 Handbook of Devonshire, Exeter, 1875 (.?). Parfitt, E., 'Fauna of Devon : 

 Reptiles ' ['transactions of the Devonshire Association, i^JJ, ix, p. 236). 



Parfitt concludes his introduction to the last-named essay with the 

 words ' Our Devonshire reptilian fauna contains all the British species 

 with the exception of the two turtles, which cannot be called indigenous, 

 but only stragglers from warmer seas.' Since his list contains no 

 mention of the Smooth Snake (Coronella austriaca), which, though 

 British, does not occur in Devonshire, and includes at least three species 

 whose claim to membership of the Devonshire fauna is of the most 

 doubtful character, this statement is obviously incorrect and quite 

 unwarranted. 



The natural result, therefore, of a critical survey extending over 

 several years has been a reduction in the number of species regarded as 

 indigenous, and as shown hereafter only nine are considered entitled to 

 rank as members of the county fauna. 



With our present limited knowledge it is not possible to write a 

 general account of the distribution of these interesting animals within 

 the county borders, and it is sincerely hoped that the meagreness of the 

 present list may be an inducement to observers to search carefully for 

 additions, both in the direction of new species and of new facts con- 

 cerning the species already recorded. 



It only remains to acknowledge the great and valued assistance 

 which has ever been received from Mr. G. A. Boulenger, F.R.S., of 

 the British Museum, and to express sincere thanks to the friends who 

 have helped with specimens and personal experiences. 



REPTILES 



LACERTILIA This species and the Slow-worm are the only 



^ T • J T . ■ T lizards of which the occurrence in Devonshire 



I . Common Lizard. Laceria vimpara, Jacq. ;, established beyond doubt. Both the Sand Lizard 



Cadover Bridge, Dartmoor, 13 March, 1903. and the Green Lizard have been recorded, but the 



Cann Quarry, Bickleigh Vale, near Plymouth, latter is, of course, not even a native of Britain, 



14 May, 1905. 'Common throughout the and the records of the former are in general 



county ' (Brooking Rowe). insufficiently critical to establish a claim to its 



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