255 



COMMON NEWT. 



Lacerta Vulgaris. L.fusco-Jiavescens, linea dor soli duplici fusca, 



abdomine croceo fusco-macnlato. 

 Yellowish-brown Newt, with a double brown dorsal line, and 



orange-coloured abdomen, spotted with brown. 

 Lacerta vulgaris. L. cauda fereti mediocri, pedibus unguiadatis, 



palmis tetradactylis, dorso lima duplici fusca. Lin. Syst. Nat, 



p. 370. Faun. Suec. 283. 

 Brown Lizard. Pennant Brit. Zool. 3. p. 23. pi. 2. 

 Common Newt. Nat. Misc. vol g. pi. 118. 



This, which is the smallest of the British Li- 

 zards, is altogether a terrestrial species. It is 

 commonly seen in gardens, and not unfrequently 

 in the neighbourhood of dunghills, Sec, It also 

 occasionally makes its way into cellars in the 

 manner of the slug, the toad, &c. Linnieus, in 

 the twelfth edition of the Systema Naturae, seems 

 to suppose it an inhabitant of the water during its 

 young or larva state. I can, however, safely affirm, 

 that I have more than once met with specimens in 

 perfectly dry situations, and at a distance from 

 any waters, so extremely tninute as scarce to 

 equal half an inch in length, and which yet ap- 

 peared to differ in no respect, except in magnitude, 

 from the full grow^n animal. I am, therefore, in- 

 clined to suppose it a viviparous species. Its gene- 

 ral length is about three inches and a half, and its 

 colour yellowish brown above, Avith a double, nar- 

 row, dorsal line or streak of a deeper tinge ; the 

 under parts bright orange, sjDOtted with brown. 



