The message
from Kay Easton contains these words:

They may be amphibious in the colloquial sense (like DUKWs) but they are
not a member of the Amphibia, any more than a whale is a fish.

You're nicking all my best lines.

Must keep up at the back innit.

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

The message
from (Mike Lyle) contains these words:

It's a fair cop, guvnor, you got me bang to rights.
I'll come quietly.
It should have, in fact, read 'amphibiOUS'. :-)

I realised that, but blame the company I keep: life over on
alt.usage.english makes a man kinda mean!

And life (but not as we know it, Jim) in the Shed molishes a man kinda
mean to anyone from alt.usage.english........

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

The message
from Janet Baraclough.. contains
these words:

Only other thing I can think of is a very young slow worm, or possibly
a baby grass snake. Are they that tiny? Dunno. Snakes can (and do) swim
astonishingly well, but I don't know if slow worms can.

Slow worms can swim, but are creatures of dry areas mainly.

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

On Sat, 1 May 2004 12:52:11 +0100, Jaques d'Alltrades
wrote:

The message
from Janet Baraclough.. contains
these words:

Only other thing I can think of is a very young slow worm, or possibly
a baby grass snake. Are they that tiny? Dunno. Snakes can (and do) swim
astonishingly well, but I don't know if slow worms can.

Slow worms can swim, but are creatures of dry areas mainly.

That's not what the Beeb says:

Habitat
Slow worms prefer humid habitats, including grassy meadows, gardens,
farmland, woodland margins and open fields. They can also be found in
rural gardens and commonly fall prey to domestic cats


"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 Sat, 1 May 2004 12:41:34 +0100, Jaques d'Alltrades
wrote:

The message
from martin contains these words:

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

The wrong habitat though.

Woodland marginal, that's what it is. Although a very rocky woodland
marginal.


"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 08:41:55 +0000 (UTC), Gwenhyffar Milgi
wrote:

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?

sober?


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

Although I live in the Netherlands I'm a Brit. :-)

On Sat, 1 May 2004 12:28:52 +0100, Jaques d'Alltrades
wrote:


Agreed, though perhaps the poster means DUCKWs, which have wheels, not legs?

DUKWs? I found the origin of the name on the web.

martin1/5/04 5:40
On Sat, 1 May 2004 12:28:52 +0100, Jaques d'Alltrades
wrote:


Agreed, though perhaps the poster means DUCKWs, which have wheels, not legs?

DUKWs? I found the origin of the name on the web.

DUKW is right. From a website:
http://wwwa.search.eb.com/normandy/articles/DUKW.html

The DUKW (an acronym based on D-model year 1942, U-amphibian, K-all wheel
drive, W-dual rear axles), called "duck," was shaped like a boat. It had a
hollow airtight body for buoyancy and used a single propeller for forward
momentum. It was designed according to Army criteria and was based on the
Army's 2.5-ton truck.

A couple still run in Jersey between the 'main island' and Elizabeth Castle
which is cut off at high tide.
--

Sacha
(remove the weeds to email me)

On Sat, 01 May 2004 18:08:15 +0100, Sacha
wrote:

martin1/5/04 5:40
On Sat, 1 May 2004 12:28:52 +0100, Jaques d'Alltrades
wrote:


Agreed, though perhaps the poster means DUCKWs, which have wheels, not legs?

DUKWs? I found the origin of the name on the web.

DUKW is right. From a website:
http://wwwa.search.eb.com/normandy/articles/DUKW.html

The DUKW (an acronym based on D-model year 1942, U-amphibian, K-all wheel
drive, W-dual rear axles), called "duck," was shaped like a boat. It had a
hollow airtight body for buoyancy and used a single propeller for forward
momentum. It was designed according to Army criteria and was based on the
Army's 2.5-ton truck.

A couple still run in Jersey between the 'main island' and Elizabeth Castle
which is cut off at high tide.

For decades! :-)

There's a European Amphibious Club which take them all over Europe to
rallies. They were in NL two years ago and on the Thames last summer.
They are really very impressive close up. We met them motoring down a
canal towards us in Workum.

Pictures of them on the Thames at
http://www.omfc.co.uk/Amphib%202003.htm

Jaques d'Alltrades wrote in message . uk...
The message
from (Mike Lyle) contains these words:

It's a fair cop, guvnor, you got me bang to rights.
I'll come quietly.
It should have, in fact, read 'amphibiOUS'. :-)

I realised that, but blame the company I keep: life over on
alt.usage.english makes a man kinda mean!

And life (but not as we know it, Jim) in the Shed molishes a man kinda
mean to anyone from alt.usage.english........

That thar's fightin' talk, stranger!

Mike.

On 1 May 2004 11:05:26 -0700, (Mike Lyle)
wrote:

And life (but not as we know it, Jim) in the Shed molishes a man kinda
mean to anyone from alt.usage.english........

That thar's fightin' talk, stranger!

Settles back, with popcorn

Glenys
--
Semen is an anti-depressant.

The message
from Gwenhyffar Milgi contains these words:

Slow worms can swim, but are creatures of dry areas mainly.

That's not what the Beeb says:

Habitat
Slow worms prefer humid habitats, including grassy meadows, gardens,
farmland, woodland margins and open fields. They can also be found in
rural gardens and commonly fall prey to domestic cats

Believe me, as a slow-worm afficianado since about 1949, they like warm,
dry conditions, basking in the sun, and are often to be found in stony
ground or on grass banks. They retreat under stones and logs for shelter
or as a refuge, probably also to feast on the beasties which also
retreat under stones and logs.

I have *NEVER* found slow worms in really moist conditions. The moistest
being beneath the stones and rocks they favour.

Now frogs and newts out of the breeding season - you'll find them in the
conditions described.

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

The message
from MissJuggs contains these words:
On 1 May 2004 11:05:26 -0700, (Mike Lyle)
wrote:

And life (but not as we know it, Jim) in the Shed molishes a man kinda
mean to anyone from alt.usage.english........

That thar's fightin' talk, stranger!

Settles back, with popcorn

A swell you mite.

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

The message
from (Mike Lyle) contains these words:
Jaques d'Alltrades wrote in
message . uk...
The message
from (Mike Lyle) contains these words:

It's a fair cop, guvnor, you got me bang to rights.
I'll come quietly.
It should have, in fact, read 'amphibiOUS'. :-)

I realised that, but blame the company I keep: life over on
alt.usage.english makes a man kinda mean!

And life (but not as we know it, Jim) in the Shed molishes a man kinda
mean to anyone from alt.usage.english........

That thar's fightin' talk, stranger!

Doan tie no it. And don't call me stranger unless you can qualify it
with a campari, son.

Bacup cauldron and flow-up set.

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

Jaques d'Alltrades wrote in message . uk...
The message
from (Mike Lyle) contains these words:
Jaques d'Alltrades wrote in
message . uk...
The message
from (Mike Lyle) contains these words:

It's a fair cop, guvnor, you got me bang to rights.
I'll come quietly.
It should have, in fact, read 'amphibiOUS'. :-)

I realised that, but blame the company I keep: life over on
alt.usage.english makes a man kinda mean!

And life (but not as we know it, Jim) in the Shed molishes a man kinda
mean to anyone from alt.usage.english........

That thar's fightin' talk, stranger!

Doan tie no it. And don't call me stranger unless you can qualify it
with a campari, son.

Bacup cauldron and flow-up set.

OK, you have the Campari, and I'll deal with Ron and Flo. (Actually, I
know it's not a very butch thing to admit, but I think Campari's
delicious. Why don't they make an amber-coloured version?)

Mike.