REPTILES AND BATRACHIANS Neither the reptiles nor batrachians of Lancashire call for much attention. Scarce in Britain generally, these two groups are scarcer still in Lancashire, where uncultivated land now hardly exists except on the sandhills fringing the coast and in parts of the Furness district. This record of the local reptilian and amphibian fauna is taken from the lists given in the British Association handbook for Liverpool and Southport, except those for the Furness area, which have been collected by Mr. Harper Gaythorpe, of Barrow. REPTILES LACERTILIA OPHIDIA I. Sand Lizard. Lacerta agilis, Linn. This species used to be, and indeed still is, abundant on the sandhills of Formby, Seaforth, and Southport. It is recorded from Walney Island, Piel Island, and Yarlside, but it is never- theless rare. It is, however, now becoming rarer than it used to be. 2- Viviparous Lizard or Swift. Lacerta vivipara, Jacq. On the mosses and rarely on the sandhills. It occurs at Weston, near Runcorn, and on Latrigg Moss near Broughton-in-Furness. 3. Slow- worm or Blind-worm. AnguU fragUis, Linn. Found occasionally in the Leyland district and in woods in the Lake district. On the whole it is fairly common in Furness, but more so at Woodland than anywhere else. 4. Viper or Adder. Vipera berus, Linn. Very common at Woodland and on the Fells about Torver and among heather and peat mosses. Four were destroyed at Haverthwaite station in June 1905, the largest being 4 feet long (R. Lord, Kirkby-in-Furness), also common on Warton Crag and at Keliet (W. Farrer). 5. Common or Ringed Snake. Tropidonatui natrix, Linn. This snake has been found at Crake Valley and at Woodland (M, Rodgers, Barrow). These two species of snakes are said to occur in south-west Lancashire, but it is rather doubt- ful whether they do or not. Specimens have been reported as occurring in the immediate neighbourhood of Southport, but it is easy in such cases to satisfy oneself that such have not been imported. ' Snakes ' in the Furness district are called 'Hag- worms' by the country people. BATRACHIANS EC AU DATA 1. Common Frog. Rana temporaria, Linn. Even the common frog does not appear to be so common now as was formerly the case. 2. The Toad. Bufi vulgaris, Linn. Common over the county. 3. Natterjack. Bufo calamita, Laur. Both species of toad are fairly common. They are most abundant on the Formby and Southport sandhills in the slacks. But owing to the drain- ing of the latter B. calamita appears to be becom- ing less common. It is said to be common enough at Mureside Mosses (between Woodland and Broughton-in-Furness) (T. Johnstone, Woodland ) . CAUDATA 4. Crested Newt. Molge cristata, Laur. 5. Common Newt. Molge vulgaris, Linn. Both these newts are said to be well distributed over Lancashire — that is, the portion of I^anca- shire still capable of forming a habitat for them. The crested newt is neither so abundant nor so well distributed as M. vulgaris. Molge palmata, Schn., -was recorded byBryerly in 1856 as rare. Three small specimens were taken in a shallow stream at Upton. It is very doubtful if it exists in Lancashire to-day.
