Page:White - The natural history of Selborne, and the naturalist's calendar, 1879.djvu/86

64 or rather, but only just at one season of the year. Country people talk much of a water-snake, but, I am pretty sure, without any reason; for the common snake (Coluber natrix) delights much to sport in the water, perhaps with a view to procure frogs and other food.

I cannot well guess how you are to make out your twelve species of reptiles, unless it be by the various species, or rather varieties, of our lacerti, of which Ray enumerates five. I have not had opportunity of ascertaining these; but remember well to have seen, formerly, several beautiful green lacerti on the sunny sandbanks near Farnham, in Surrey; and Ray admits there are such in Ireland.

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$e1$ Toads lay eggs as frogs do. Every dweller in the country will be familiar with the masses of jelly-like substance in the ditches which constitutes the spawn of frogs. That of toads forms long strings instead of masses.

$e2$ There seems to be little doubt that the secretion which exudes from the tubercles on the toad's skin is very offensive, and might irritate a delicate skin. Dogs will not mouth them a second time.

$e3$ There are so many accounts of frogs actually falling with the rain, as well as small fish, that the possibility of this happening should not be too incredulously denied. It is possible, and indeed no other explanation can be entertained, that they may have been swept up from the earth or water by a whirlwind, as sticks and straws are, and then dropped down. Those who have seen a reed stack carried into the air by a "rodges blast" on the Norfolk marshes, would not consider this suggestion an impossible one.

$e4$ This pretty green frog which lives on trees, and is sometimes kept as a pet, is not considered a native species. Mr. J.G. Wood says he saw a colony of them in a hole in an apple-tree at Marston, near Oxford; but they must have been introduced there, or strayed from someone who kept them.

$e5$ There is but one species of newt, which goes through all its changes in the water. The male has a beautiful waving crest along its back and tail. When young it has gills; but when it reaches the perfect state it has to rise constantly to the surface to take in a supply of air. It is possible that by the term land-eft, White may refer to the lizard, which belongs to a different family. Most country people of the lower order are dreadfully afraid of newts or effets, and think their bite is deadly. As a fact, however, they are quite harmless.

$e6$ The blind-worm or slow-worm does not need a blow to induce it to cast off its tail. A sudden fright is sufficient. While you are looking at the tail wriggling and jumping about, the body quietly makes its escape.