A HISTORY OF HERTFORDSHIRE BATRACHIANS ECAUDATA 1. Common Frog. Rana temper aria y Linn. Although everywhere common, and per- haps because of this, the only definite records of the local occurrence of this species are in the observation of the dates of appearance of frog-spawn at Royston, Harpenden, St. Albans, Watford, Hertford, Ware and Hod- desdon by members of the Hertfordshire Natural History Society. At one or more, and usually several, of these places, the date has been recorded for the fifteen years 1876 to 1 890.* The earliest date was February 23rd, 1884, the latest April 4th, 1876, and the average date of first appearance March 1 4th. 2. Common Toad. Bufo vulgarity Laur. Too common to require further mention. 3. Natterjack Toad. Bufo calamita, Laur. In a short note on the occurrence of the natterjack at Coombe in Surrey, in Science 1 Hopkinson, Annual Reports on Phenological Phenomena observed in Hertfordshire, 187690, Trans. Watford Nat. Hist. Soc., vol. ii., and Trans. Herts Nat. Hist. Soc., vols. i.-vi. (1878-91). Gossip for 1865 (p. 206), Mr. W. R. Tate incidentally mentions that this species is found ' about Berkhamsted, Herts ' ; and in Bou- lenger's splendid monograph of The Tailless Batrachians of Europe, published by the Ray Society in 1898, Hertfordshire is given as one of the seventeen English counties in which this batrachian occurs (p. 244). CAUDATA 4. Great Crested Newt. Molge cristata, Laur. This species, which is also known as the common warty newt, is probably of frequent occurrence throughout the county. Mr. Alan F. Grossman states that it ' is not uncommon in West Herts.' The writer remembers find- ing it in the moat of Berkhamsted Castle so long ago as his schooldays, and has since met with it in several ponds in the neighbourhood of Watford and St. Albans. 5. Common Newt. Molge vulgaris. Linn. (Triton punctatus, Lair.) More common than the great crested newt, this 'eft,' as newts are here called, occurs habitually in ponds and ditches of clear water. Mr. Grossman says that it is ' common around Berkhamsted.' 192
