﻿AMPHIBIA. 
  

  

  233 
  

  

  In 
  May 
  1893 
  Mr. 
  W. 
  Evans 
  found 
  this 
  species 
  occurring 
  in 
  a 
  

   little 
  pond 
  near 
  Aviemore. 
  Sheriff 
  Mackenzie 
  sent 
  a 
  score 
  or 
  so 
  

   of 
  Newts 
  on 
  various 
  occasions 
  from 
  some 
  pools 
  in 
  Ben 
  Bhraggie, 
  

   near 
  Golspie, 
  Sutherland, 
  in 
  April 
  1894, 
  to 
  Mr. 
  Eagle-Clarke, 
  who 
  

   identified 
  them 
  as 
  being 
  of 
  this 
  species. 
  

  

  Referring 
  to 
  Newts 
  generally, 
  Edward 
  says 
  : 
  — 
  1 
  They 
  are 
  all 
  

   found 
  in 
  pools 
  and 
  ponds 
  more 
  or 
  less 
  throughout 
  our 
  whole 
  dis- 
  

   trict. 
  They 
  are 
  also 
  got 
  on 
  land 
  at 
  times, 
  beneath 
  stones, 
  amongst 
  

   grass, 
  and 
  at 
  the 
  roots 
  of 
  bushes, 
  and 
  occasionally 
  a 
  good 
  distance 
  

   from 
  water. 
  

  

  'Although 
  their 
  movements 
  on 
  land 
  can 
  never 
  be 
  compared 
  

   with 
  either 
  that 
  of 
  the 
  Green 
  or 
  Sand 
  Lizard, 
  their 
  activity 
  in 
  the 
  

   water 
  is 
  most 
  astonishing, 
  and 
  their 
  seeming 
  caution 
  and 
  cunning 
  

   when 
  in 
  the 
  latter 
  no 
  less 
  so. 
  It 
  is 
  really 
  surprising 
  to 
  see 
  how 
  

   cautiously 
  and 
  slowly 
  they 
  will 
  either 
  go 
  along 
  or 
  climb 
  the 
  stem 
  

   of 
  an 
  aquatic 
  plant. 
  They 
  move 
  step 
  by 
  step, 
  as 
  if 
  they 
  were 
  

   actually 
  measuring 
  the 
  exact 
  distance, 
  their 
  small 
  eyes 
  ever 
  on 
  the 
  

   alert, 
  and 
  glistening 
  like 
  little 
  diamonds. 
  There 
  is 
  a 
  halt, 
  and 
  a 
  

   look 
  this 
  and 
  then 
  that 
  way. 
  There 
  is 
  nothing 
  in 
  view. 
  They 
  

   therefore 
  go 
  on 
  again 
  a 
  few 
  more 
  steps. 
  Then 
  comes 
  another 
  

   survey 
  — 
  this 
  time 
  a 
  longer 
  one. 
  Still, 
  nothing 
  is 
  seen, 
  so 
  away 
  

   once 
  more. 
  No 
  : 
  only 
  one 
  step, 
  when 
  the 
  head 
  is 
  slightly 
  turned 
  

   to 
  one 
  side. 
  See, 
  here 
  comes 
  a 
  wee 
  speck 
  of 
  a 
  worm-like 
  thing, 
  

   twisting 
  itself 
  along 
  at 
  a 
  noble 
  rate. 
  On 
  it 
  comes, 
  the 
  newt's 
  eyes 
  

   following 
  it 
  the 
  while. 
  Will 
  it 
  come 
  to 
  the 
  very 
  jaws 
  of 
  death 
  of 
  

   its 
  own 
  accord 
  ? 
  Yes, 
  see 
  — 
  the 
  ask's 
  forefeet 
  are 
  pressed 
  to 
  his 
  side, 
  

   and 
  away 
  he 
  darts, 
  and 
  with 
  his 
  unerring 
  accuracy 
  snaps 
  his 
  prey.' 
  

   — 
  (Extract 
  from 
  The 
  Reptiles 
  of 
  Banff, 
  by 
  Thomas 
  Edward, 
  A.L.S.) 
  

  

  Order 
  BATRACHIA 
  ANURA. 
  

   Family 
  BUFONIDjE. 
  

  

  Bufo 
  vulgaris, 
  Laur. 
  Common 
  Toad. 
  

  

  Common, 
  and 
  generally 
  distributed. 
  Mr. 
  James 
  Laidlaw, 
  1 
  writing 
  

   from 
  Coul 
  in 
  1833, 
  has 
  the 
  following 
  notes 
  : 
  — 
  

  

  'In 
  the 
  wood 
  west 
  from 
  Coul 
  there 
  is 
  a 
  cart-road 
  crossing 
  

  

  1 
  See 
  Appendix. 
  

  

  