REPTILES AND BATRACHIANS widely exists in the rural districts, and that the day is not far distant when the ruthless destroyers of our harmless little reptiles will realize that these animals should be protected, as they play an important part in maintaining what is known as the balance in the economy of Nature. REPTILES LACERTILIA economy 1. Common Lizard. Lacerta vivipara, Jacq. This lizard is plentiful on the greensand, particularly at Sheffbrd Warren. 2. Slow-worm or Blind-worm. Anguis fragilis, Linn. This harmless limbless lizard suffers from its general resemblance to the snake, from which it may be distinguished by the absence of broad ventral scuts, the scales being alike all round the body. In length it probably does not average more than 12 or 14 inches. It is fairly common in the same locality as the viper. OPHIDIA 3. Common or Ring-snake. Tropidonotus natrix, Linn. This, the largest of our English reptiles, known locally as the grass snake and the water snake, is occasionally met with in the meadows adjoining the river Ousc. The average length of a full grown ring-snake is about a yard. Two years ago I had a very fine specimen brought to me which was very nearly 4 feet in length. These snakes are perfectly harm- less ; they feed chiefly on frogs which abound in the meadows adjoining the river. They do not confine themselves to this diet, but occasionally make a meal of the fish from the river. One of the specimens in my collection came to an untimely end by an attempt to vary his diet in this way. He seized a roach in the river, brought it on the bank and was choked in endeavouring to swallow it. Every year these snakes are decreasing in numbers and now they are very rarely seen, the country people consider them to be poisonous and kill them whenever they have the opportunity. 4. Viper or Adder. Vipera berus, Linn. It inhabits the woods and bracken which clothe the greensand district. Specimens have been taken in the neighbourhood of Potton, Westoning, ShefFord and Woburn. Although the viper can hardly be said to be common it is certainly more often met with than the ring-snake. Unlike the latter, as a rule, it frequents dry, warm situations and is found in the woods and bracken which stretch across the county from Leighton Buzzard to Potton. One was run over a short time ago by a cart between Woburn and Asplcy Guise, and three years ago a man was bitten by a viper in the neighbourhood of Westoning. The locality where this accident took place is of a swampy nature. I have found vipers in Holme Fen in Huntingdonshire, but the swampy moorland in the neighbourhood of Westoning is the only locality of this nature in Bedfordshire in which I have known vipers to occur. The gamekeeper informs me that he has killed several near Westoning. He says they are fairly common about that village. Formerly this snake was more abundant : the earliest reference I can find to the viper in our county is a mention of it by John Bunyan, 1 to which my attention has been drawn by Mr. Steele-Elliott. As Bunyan was born in 1628, and the incident he men- tions took place in his boyhood, it would seem that 250 years ago the viper was found near Elstow. ECAUDATA 5. Common Frog. Rana temporaria, Linn. Abundant everywhere. [Edible Frog. Rana esculenta, Linn. Found only on the Woburn Park estate, and imported from the continent by His Grace the Duke of Bedford.] 6. Common Toad. Bufo vulgaris, Laur. Common everywhere. BATRACHIANS CAUDATA Great Water Newt. Molge cristata, Laur. This is also known as the common warty- newt, county, It is found in ponds all over the 8. Common Smooth Newt. Molge vulgaris, Linn. Known also as the small newt, eft, or evet : is abundant everywhere. Grace Abounding. 103
