30 
BatratKia. Several naturalists—among them Mr 
Bell, regard the frogs, newts, &;c., as a distinct class 
under the title of Amphihia, while others place them 
as an order, or rather a section of an order of the 
Reptilia, and the recognised scientific classification 
is the one now adopted. The Reptilia present the 
most wonderful variety of structure, and are eonse- 
quently adapted for different habits of life, localities, 
and modes of locomotion. They are scientifically 
described as a class of cold-blooded vertebrate 
animals, breathing by means of lungs, the skin 
being covered with solid shells, horny plates, 
scales, &c. (with the exception of the Ampliihia, 
whose skins are naked.) The heart consists of 
one, sometimes tvro auricles, but only one ven¬ 
tricle, the limbs Variable, sometimes four, two, or 
none at all. Mr Stewart said that reptiles attained 
their greatest profusion and size in tropical regions, 
and that they were generally distributed through¬ 
out the wmrld, with one or two notable excep¬ 
tions, namely, Iceland and Ireland. With regard 
to the last-mentioned, although it had generally 
been understood that St Patrick had banished 
them from the Bmerald Island, lizards, frogs, 
and newts were as abundant there as anywhere 
else. It appeared, howmver, that the snake was 
not indigenous to Ireland, and although an attempt 
made to introduce it about forty years ago had 
failed, it was not from any peculiarity in the climate 
or soil, but rather from a rewmrd offered for its 
destruction. 
He then proceeded to review the different species 
found in Perthshire. Of the first order of reptiles 
Chelonia (including the turtle and tortoises), none 
are found in Britain ; but of the second, Sauria (or 
the order of alligators and lizards), there are two 
specimens lound in the county namely, the 
common lizard and the blind worm. The former of 
these, Lacerta vivipara, is from six to eight inches 
long. In colour and markings it is subject to great 
variations, but in the male it is generally, on the 
upper parts, of an ohve brown; and in the female, 
of a pale grey, and on the sides and under parts of 
