36 



REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS OF THE 

 COUNTY OF DURHAM. 



J. W. FAWCETT, 



Author of ' The Birds of Durham.' 



Owing to every man's hand being- against them, reptiles are not 

 very common in the county of Durham, and every year seems to 

 see their number become less. Of those that are generally found, 

 the reptiles are chiefly restricted to the western moors, the 

 lizards to the sandy coast, and the batrachians to larger ponds. 



1. Vipera berus. Adder, Edder or Ether, Common Viper. 



Rare ; found chiefly on stony ground and the western moors 

 — Teesdale, Weardale, and Derwentdale. 



2. Coluber natrix. Common or Ringed Snake. Much more 



common than the Viper with which it is often confounded. 

 Found on dry heaths and moors, and places similar to the 

 Viper. Five (two old and three young) were killed in the 

 Browney Valley, near West Butsfield, in August 1883, and 

 one was seen, but not killed, in a field near Satley, in July 

 1886. One was also seen in the Derwent Valley in the 

 same summer. 



3. Anguis fragilis. Common Blind-worm or Slow-worm. 



Found in damp and unfrequented places, but not common. 

 Has been seen in the Black Banks and Robin's Fancy, in 

 the Browney Valley between Satley and Butsfield. 



4. Zootoca vivipara. Common Lizard. An active, harmless, 



and interesting little creature, common in the quieter parts 

 of the sea-coast and also on the borders of the western 

 moors. 



5. Ran a temporaria. Common Frog. Common in ponds and 



stagnant waters. 



6. Bufo vulgaris. Toad. Paddick ; not so common as the 



Frog, and becoming scarcer every year. Often met with 

 about ruins and in gardens. 



7. Triton cristatus. Great Water Newt. Scarce ; in ponds 



and stagnant water, and damp shady places. 



8. Lophinus punctatus. Lesser or Common Water Newt. 



Commoner than the above, and found in similar situations. 



Naturalist, 



