History of British animals - University of Guam Marine Laboratory

Tnilox. REPTILES. BATRACHIA. 157Anguis Sibb. Scot. 28 Vipera, Ray, Syn. Quod. 285—Col. Berus, Linn.Syst. i. 377. Penn. Brit. Zool. iii. 2G— W, Neidr, Neider du, Giviber;G, Nat hair. In heaths.Length from 2 to 3 feet. Colour dirty-yellow a ; stripe, on each side, ofblack triangular spots, and a dorsal stripe of confluent rhomboidal spots. Spacebetween the eyes and two spots on the crown, black. The head is broad behind;edo-es of the jaws covered with large scales. Belly dusky, tinged withblue. Scales on the belly 142 to 148; pairs on the tail 30 to 40. Ovoviviparous,producing from 12 to 25 young. Feeds on insects, frogs, and mice.Becomes torpid during the winter—As this species is subject to considerablevariety in its markings, depending upon age, sex, or season, it has been multipliedinto the following species, which Dr Leach, in the third volume of hisZoological Miscellany has, with propriety, reduced to the rank of varieties.1. Black Viper, Col. Prester, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. 377 —Colour nearly black.Lacepede says, Ov. Quad. iii. 247, that, " in this species, the top of the headis not entirely covered with scales, resembling those of the back, as in thecommon viper ; but there are three scales, a little larger than these, placedbetween the eyes, one advanced towards the nose, and two immediately behind."This character, however, is possessed by the viper.2. Blue-bellied Viper, Rev. Revett Sheppard, Linn. Trans, vii. p. 56. In thisthe back seems more tinged with brown, and the belly with blue, than usual.3. Red Viper, Rev. Thomas Rackett, Linn. Trans, xii. 349—This is supposedto be the Coluber chersea of Linnaeus. It possessed the heart-shapedspot on the head, and the dark spot near the extremity of the tail. Above, abright red colour. **I received the viper from the Reverend John TregonwillNapier, Rector of Chettle, in Dorsetshire, who killed it in CranborneChace. It isextremely rare, but known to the game-keepers under the nameof " The Red Viper," ib. 350. It has likewise been found by the ReverendRevett Sheppard, in the parish of Levington, and other places in the countyof Suffolk, in arid waste situations."—Linn. Trans, xxii. 615.BATRACHIA.Gen. V. TRITON. Eft.— Feet four, supported by bones.Four toes on the fore-feet, five behind, without claws.Tail compressed.The young are produced from eggs, laid on aquatic plants;breathe at firstby and have twogills ;claspers under thethroat, by which theycan adhere to a leaf. When thefeet become perfect,the gillsand claspers are absorbed.6. T. palustris. Warty Eft.— Body covered with smallwarts ; brownish-black above ;orange, with black spots below.Lacerta palustris, Linn. Syst.i. 370 — Warty Lizard, Penn. Brit. Zool.iii. 23. Shepp. Lin. Trans, vii. 52 Inhabits ponds and marshes.Length between 6 and 7 inches. Head depressed; snout blunt, finelyfreckled with yellowish-white. A smooth space between both pairs of legs.