O. G. Dely szerk.: Vertebrata Hungarica 8/1-2. (Budapest, 1966)

Marián, M.: The herpetofauna of the Fehértó (Lake Fehér) near Kardoskut, Hungary 93-104. o.

aquatic plants or mud islands. They hang their egg-strands on stakes driven into the water, and also on wicker hedges, as if they were reed-stems or reed stumps. Under technophily, we mean the active search for human artifacts. However, the above species do not actively search for the objects mentioned during their spawning, but only make use of them when finding those in their spawning sites. Hence this is only an apparent technophily. The green toad is a better case in point, because this species actually visits human artifacts to search for hiding places and to feed on insects thriving in human environments . In the material and energy turnover of the area, herpetofauna again playes an important role, especially as far as the abundance of the amphibious larvae are concerned. They constitute a significant portion of the food of a great number of aquatic birds nidifying or feeding on the lake. From the point of view of agriculture, no member of the herpetofauna is injurious. Indeed, owing to their entomophagous habits, they are definitely useful. It is merely the grass snake which might be accused of causing some damages, the destruction of the frogs. However, owing to the small number of its population, the damages - -9 negligible. Summary In the course of investigations in the years 1962-1965, I have established the presence of 6 amphibian species and 1 subspecies

, as well as 2 reptile species, in the Fehértó near Kardoskut. They are all eurytop species tolerating the environmental conditions of the alkali plains. However, they are not natrophilous. Small specific and high individual numbers are characteristic of amphibians inhabiting the soda lake and its nevironment. The gravest danger of the herpetofauna lies in desiccation against which they protect themselves