In article , Gwenhyffar
Milgi writes

ggg we get a few of those here as well. What I mean is a legless
amphibian though. I don't know what they're called!

I'm not aware of any legless amphibians in the UK! We've only got toads,
newts and frogs. I suppose you could call a tadpole a legless amphibian
;-)

Do you mean slowworm, aka legless lizard? It's a reptile, along with
lizards and snakes. Lives on small invertebrates, completely harmless, a
lovely thing to have in the garden.
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

On Tue, 27 Apr 2004 09:22:29 +0200, martin wrote:

On Mon, 26 Apr 2004 22:24:26 +0000 (UTC), Gwenhyffar Milgi
wrote:

On Sun, 25 Apr 2004 17:40:19 +0100, Jaques d'Alltrades
wrote:

The message
from Gwenhyffar Milgi contains these words:

The tadpoles are numerous, it seems every frog/toad/newt in the
neighbourhood deposits its spawn in it (yes, we have newts, and one of
those legless thingies).

We find our legless thingies in the local towns, mainly between eleven
pm and midnight.

ggg we get a few of those here as well. What I mean is a legless
amphibian though. I don't know what they're called!

****ed as a newt?

Hang on, if the newts are legless, what are the ones with legs called
then?

(sorry guys, English is not my first language, although I live in
Wales, I'm Dutch).


"My candle burns at both ends; it will not last the night
but ah my foes and oh my friends -- it gives a lovely light"

On Tue, 27 Apr 2004 09:22:15 +0100, Kay Easton
wrote:

In article , Gwenhyffar
Milgi writes

ggg we get a few of those here as well. What I mean is a legless
amphibian though. I don't know what they're called!

I'm not aware of any legless amphibians in the UK! We've only got toads,
newts and frogs. I suppose you could call a tadpole a legless amphibian
;-)

Do you mean slowworm, aka legless lizard? It's a reptile, along with
lizards and snakes. Lives on small invertebrates, completely harmless, a
lovely thing to have in the garden.

Well, no. It was about 4 cm's long, glittery grey/silver in colour,
and it was definitely an amphibian. It had no legs.

I've kept snakes, so I am aware of the difference between amphibians
and reptiles. There's a difference in skin appearance between a wet
amphibian and a wet reptile. This looked more like a salamander
without legs than like a small snake.

I found it when I was clearing out the gully at the back of the house,
consequently that part of the gully has not been cleaned yet, as I
didn't know what it was specifically and I didn't want to disturb
anymore of its habitat.

It didn't have the black flanks of a juvenile slowworm, and it was
smaller than my book says that juvenile slowworms are.


"My candle burns at both ends; it will not last the night
but ah my foes and oh my friends -- it gives a lovely light"

On Tue, 27 Apr 2004 09:22:15 +0100, Kay Easton
wrote:

In article , Gwenhyffar
Milgi writes

ggg we get a few of those here as well. What I mean is a legless
amphibian though. I don't know what they're called!

I'm not aware of any legless amphibians in the UK! We've only got toads,
newts and frogs. I suppose you could call a tadpole a legless amphibian
;-)

snakes?

In article , Gwenhyffar
Milgi writes
On Tue, 27 Apr 2004 09:22:15 +0100, Kay Easton
wrote:

In article , Gwenhyffar
Milgi writes

ggg we get a few of those here as well. What I mean is a legless
amphibian though. I don't know what they're called!

I'm not aware of any legless amphibians in the UK! We've only got toads,
newts and frogs. I suppose you could call a tadpole a legless amphibian
;-)

Do you mean slowworm, aka legless lizard? It's a reptile, along with
lizards and snakes. Lives on small invertebrates, completely harmless, a
lovely thing to have in the garden.

Well, no. It was about 4 cm's long, glittery grey/silver in colour,
and it was definitely an amphibian. It had no legs.

But we don't have any british legless amphibians!

I've kept snakes, so I am aware of the difference between amphibians
and reptiles. There's a difference in skin appearance between a wet
amphibian and a wet reptile. This looked more like a salamander
without legs than like a small snake.

Well, I can only suggest it had escaped from captivity.


--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

In article , martin
writes
On Tue, 27 Apr 2004 09:22:15 +0100, Kay Easton
wrote:

In article , Gwenhyffar
Milgi writes

ggg we get a few of those here as well. What I mean is a legless
amphibian though. I don't know what they're called!

I'm not aware of any legless amphibians in the UK! We've only got toads,
newts and frogs. I suppose you could call a tadpole a legless amphibian
;-)

snakes?

eh?

tadpoles are snakes?
snakes are legless amphibians?
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

"Kay Easton" wrote in message
...
In article , Gwenhyffar
Milgi writes

ggg we get a few of those here as well. What I mean is a legless
amphibian though. I don't know what they're called!

I'm not aware of any legless amphibians in the UK! We've only got toads,
newts and frogs. I suppose you could call a tadpole a legless amphibian
;-)
snip
Mr. Picky says no - at the time they are legless tadpoles they are not
amphibians; try and get one to survive out of water if you are feeling mean
and merciless :-)

The message
from Kay Easton contains these words:

In article , Gwenhyffar
Milgi writes

Well, no. It was about 4 cm's long, glittery grey/silver in colour,
and it was definitely an amphibian. It had no legs.

But we don't have any british legless amphibians!

It sounds very like an elver (young eel). Eels normally live in water
but they are quite capable of coming ashore and travelling cross
country, to domestic ponds. Adult ones are much much bigger. My granny
was forever feeding us eels..free food and very nutritious. We loved the
taste but hated seeing them live in the kitchen sink, or wriggling in
the pan.

In spring there are great swarms of elvers in some rivers (like the Wye
and Severn), there's a name for it which I've forgotten. People catch
them and flash-fry them..a bit like fishy spaghetti :-)

Janet.

In article , martin
writes
On Tue, 27 Apr 2004 16:14:59 +0100, Kay Easton
wrote:

snakes are legless amphibians?

Snakes don't have legs and do swim. I've seen grass snakes swimming in
the Thames.

But they're not apmhibians.
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

On Wed, 28 Apr 2004 13:07:32 +0100, Kay Easton
wrote:

In article , martin
writes
On Tue, 27 Apr 2004 16:14:59 +0100, Kay Easton
wrote:

snakes are legless amphibians?

Snakes don't have legs and do swim. I've seen grass snakes swimming in
the Thames.

But they're not apmhibians.

Definition: [n] cold-blooded vertebrate typically living on land
but breeding in water; aquatic larvae undergo metamorphosis into adult
form

You are right, I didn't know amphibians had to breed in water.

On Wed, 28 Apr 2004 14:26:39 +0200, martin wrote:

On Wed, 28 Apr 2004 13:07:32 +0100, Kay Easton
wrote:

In article , martin
writes
On Tue, 27 Apr 2004 16:14:59 +0100, Kay Easton
wrote:

snakes are legless amphibians?

Snakes don't have legs and do swim. I've seen grass snakes swimming in
the Thames.

But they're not apmhibians.

Some snakes are.


Definition: [n] cold-blooded vertebrate typically living on land
but breeding in water; aquatic larvae undergo metamorphosis into adult
form

You are right, I didn't know amphibians had to breed in water.

BBC website photos of slow worms seem to meet the OP's description of
her snakish object.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfact...iles/281.shtml

"David W.E. Roberts" wrote in message ...
"Kay Easton" wrote in message
...
In article , Gwenhyffar
Milgi writes

ggg we get a few of those here as well. What I mean is a legless
amphibian though. I don't know what they're called!

I'm not aware of any legless amphibians in the UK! We've only got toads,
newts and frogs. I suppose you could call a tadpole a legless amphibian
;-)
snip
Could it have been an elver (baby eel)? I know grown eels can suurvive
out of water and make quite long journeys across country to reach
water. My natural history is somewhat lacking in the abilities of
elvers though.
This is the best piccie I found when I typed in elvers into Google
image search.
http://www.beaur.com/images/couvertu.jpg
Actually there were some that were more interesting but had nothing to
do with legless amphibians. Well I suppose they could in a round about
way but I wont take that thought train any further.

Mark

"martin" wrote in message
...
snip

But they're not apmhibians.

Some snakes are.

snip

I think you will find that some snakes are amphibiOUS but still not
amphibiANS :-)

Much in the way that dolphins and whales are mammals even though they live a
very fishy existence.

Cheers
Dave R

On Wed, 28 Apr 2004 14:50:18 +0100, "David W.E. Roberts"
wrote:


"martin" wrote in message
.. .
snip

But they're not apmhibians.

Some snakes are.

snip

I think you will find that some snakes are amphibiOUS but still not
amphibiANS :-)

By googling I found there are both sorts. :-)
for example
http://www.divegallery.com/sea_krait.htm

I'm not sugesting that they are commonly found in small garden water
features :-)

On 28 Apr 2004 06:46:49 -0700, (Mark Fawcett)
wrote:

This is the best piccie I found when I typed in elvers into Google
image search.
http://www.beaur.com/images/couvertu.jpg
Actually there were some that were more interesting but had nothing to
do with legless amphibians. Well I suppose they could in a round about
way but I wont take that thought train any further.

googles quietly oh I see what you mean, but she's hardly legless is
she?