REPTILES AND BATRACHIANS As in the case of the fishes, no Hst of the reptiles of this county exists beyond that m ]ot M-ortoTi?, Natural History of Northamptonshire, I J 12. This account is interesting as containing the first allusion, so far as I am aware, to the viviparous nature of the common lizard' which, as customary at that early period, was confounded with the newts or efts. Morton spoke of the herpetological fauna as a very poor one, and the information obtained from Mr. Lionel E. Adams of Stafford, and from a young enthusiastic observer, Mr. J. L. Monk, who resided for some years in Northampton, has not resulted in any additions. Only the more common and generally distributed English reptiles and batrachians have been met in the county and there is no authentic record of the natterjack toad {Bufo calamita) or of the palmated newt {Molge palmata). The ringed snake appears to be fairly common in most parts of the county ; captures of the viper are recorded from Harleston Heath and Castle Ashby,^ whilst the slow-worm is decidedly rare, except perhaps in Salcey Forest. REPTILES LACERTILIA 1. Common Lizard. Lacerta vivlpara, Jacq. 2. Slow-worm, Anguis Jragt/is, Linn. OPHIDIA 3. Common or Ringed Snake. Tropidonotui natrix, Linn. [Natrix torquata, Ray). 4. Common Viper or Adder. Vipera berus, Linn. BATRACHIANS ECAUDATA 1. Common Frog. Rana temporaria, Linn. 2. Common Toad. Bufo vulgaris, Laur. CAUDATA 3. Great Crested Newt. Molge crhtato, Laur. 4. Common Newt. Molge vulgaris, Linn. {Triton punctatus, Latr.). 1 ' They are found with young ones formed in their Belly, and are really Viviparous^: Morton, op. cit. p. 440.
- The wholly black viper, so rare in England, appears to have been found in Morton's time. He
says, p. 442 : 'A viper is still more uncommon, being no where found with us, unless about Sir John Shaw's Decoy below Pekirk ; in which Place as I am told, the Viper-Catchers sometimes meet with one all over black, amongst others of the common Colour.' no
