REPTILES AND BATRACHIANS Reptiles and batrachians are, as may be supposed, exceedingly few in the county ; there is no record of the smooth snake, and the sand-lizard rests on the authority of Harley only. The natterjack, so far as I am aware, does not occur, nor have I discovered more than the two common species of newts. REPTILES LACERTILIA 1. Common Lizard. Lactrta vivipara, Jacq. Locally, Scaly Lizard, Viviparous Lizard. Harley considered this species almost confined to the district known as Charnwood Forest, and wrote under date 1845 : 'December loth. "Para "Bates informs me that he has occasionally seen, in his ento- mological rambles in Charnwood Forest and the neighbourhood around it, a species of lizard which appears to affect the leaves of brambles and other plants. He describes the creature's habits very vividly as being like unto those of a chameleon, especially so when observed basking in the beams of the sun and intent on feeding.' It is well known, however, that this is a common habit with L. vivipara, and indeed with most lizards. It occurs commonly in the ' Forest ' and in other places in the county. 2. Sand-Lizard. Lacerta agilis, Linn. Rare, and I have no record of it save that furnished by Harley, who describing it under Daudin's specific name of stirpium, appears to have met with it, for he wrote : ' If the vernal months be open and warm, accompanied with soft breezy skies, the species comes abroad towards the latter end of March and beginning of the month following. During the spring of the year 1 842 the author in his walks met with it, 2 2 April. In the following year it was recognized by us on 19 April, two days earlier.' He further remarked that it is liable to much variation in colour, he having met with it of a pale greenish-yellow, with the back of an umber-brown colour ; others of a darker hue and others again variegated with black spots down the centre of the back. Although I have not met with it, I cannot think Harley could have confused it with the preceding common species, for he expressly stated (speaking of Lacerta vivipara) : 'The species appears in the spring much about the same time as the sand lizard, but its reproduction is very diverse from it, since it is ovo-viviparous, while Lacerta stirpium is oviparous only,' which shows that he recognized the characteristics of the two species, and was net misled by considerations of colour or habitat. 3. Blind- Worm or Slow- Worm. Anguis fragUis, Linn. Locally, Slow- Worm. Resident, commonly distributed, and variable in colour. There are specimens in the Leicester Museum from Charnwood Forest, Bardon Hill, and other places. OPHIDIA 4. Common Snake. Tropidonotus ttatrix, Linn. Locally, Grass-Snake, Ringed-Snake. Resident and commonly distributed, especially throughout Charnwood Forest ; and the Leicester Museum possesses several from there and from other parts of the county. Mr. G. Frisby writes on 29 May, 1906 : 'I saw three grass-snakes together in Wood Lane, Quorn ; they were all three run over by a milk-cart just previously. Shortly after I secured a live one, and presented it to the schoolmaster.' A year or so ago (circa 1905), a newspaper recorded that during the course of some digging operations at Eye Kettleby, an albino form of this snake with eyes of a bright ruby red was unearthed. Albinism has hitherto been entirely unknown in connexion with reptiles. 5. Viper. Vipera berus, Linn. Locally, Adder, Hether. 1 Resident and generally distributed, especially about Charnwood Forest, but not so common, fortunately, as its harmless relative. Harley remarked under date 1846 : ' Pelias berus and Coluber natrix came forth abroad very early this season,' viz., during the first and second week of March. On the 1 3th and 1 4th of that month he noted both reptiles in Bradgate Park. There are specimens in the Leicester Museum from many localities in the county, but chiefly from the ' Forest,' all of the dark variety. 1 Leic, Proverbs, probably a corruption from Adder. 112
