5
Palmate Newt (Triturus helveticus)
Smallest of the three species. Female 43mm, male 38mm.
The tail forms about half total length. The male has much
lower crest than smooth newt, has webbed feet when breeding
and tail ends in a filament of about 5mm. Female very
similar to smooth newt but usually has a plain throat,
the smooth newt has a spotted throat. When found on land
the smooth and palmate newts are often mistaken "or lizards
but true lizards have scales and external ear openings and
when active show tongue movements in and out. Records of
all three species come from Epping Forest and numerous
smooth newt records from elsewhere in the county including
Witham and Hornchurch. The crested newt is more secretive
and loves darker ponds and is not easily seen actually in
the water. It also likes to get into half sunken car tyres.
Most sightings of crested newts are on land found under
logs and debris, easily recognised by the black back and orange 
underside. I rescued some fifty or so from a cellar at
Abbess Roding where they were trapped having presumably
fallen down the air ducts. Gardens are good habitats for
newts, especially with rockeries to give cover. I would
value more newt records, particularly from mid and east
Essex.
Slow Worm (Anguis fragilis)
This creature features most in this year's reptile records,
perhaps they are more easily observed being fairly slow
moving. Recorded from Cranham, Little Burstead, Peldon,
Great Waltham and Margaretting. They love to get into
dryish compost heaps, lying just below the surface to enjoy
any rising heat and sunshine from above. Slow worms are
often thus recorded from gardens but also occur frequently
under boards and tins thrown down in areas of rough grass-
land. These and hedges and ditches are their typical
habitats. Slow worms appear to be generally distributed
throughout Essex but few records are on hand for the Brain-
tree - Halstead areas.
Common Lizard (Lacerta vivipara)
This little reptile is recorded recently from Fingringhoe,
Margaretting, Epping Forest, Peldon and the middle of
Chelmsford. It was more common in Epping Forest but the
overgrowing of the grassy plains has reduced its numbers.