Our reptiles and batrachians : a plain and easy account of the lizards, snakes, newts, toads, frogs and tortoises indigenous to Great Britain / by M.C. Cooke ... with original figures of every species and numerous woodcuts.

  • Mordecai Cubitt Cooke
Date:
1893
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Our reptiles and batrachians : a plain and easy account of the lizards, snakes, newts, toads, frogs and tortoises indigenous to Great Britain / by M.C. Cooke ... with original figures of every species and numerous woodcuts. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    the time I had something new, but, not taking much interest in the reptiles, it was put into spirits and forgotten until I saw Dr. Grray’s notice. I have sent this specimen to the British Museum, so that anyone may see it.” * Nothing more was heard of the Smooth Snake in Britain till the year 1862, when, between October and December, several communications appeared in the Field, and Mr. Buckland seemed to claim its discovery as an addition to the British Fauna. Mr. Bartlett, of the Zoological Grardens, Regent’s Park, ultimately published an account, in which he stated,f—'“ It was on the morning of the 24th August, 1862, 1 saw for the first time one of these animals, Mr. Fenton having stopped me as I was driving along the road in the Regent’s Park, and taking from his pocket what I then thought was a viper, asked me if I would accept it for the Zoo- logical Grardens.” From the Proceedings of the Zoological Society we learn that, on one occasion, Mr. F. Buckland exhibited this specimen, and ultimately]: several others, which had been found in this country. So deficient, however, in all the necessary details of date, place, and circumstances of capture were these recent accounts, that, had there not been prior and more satisfactory records f Zoologist, p. 6787. t Intellectual Observer, iii., p, 149, f November lltb, 1862.