them. The older people have seen this species occasionally.

"In this part of Lincoln I have records of the ring snake from Littleboro', in this village (South Leverton), and in Treswell Wood."-Rev. Alfred Thornley, Vicarage, South Leverton.

Derbyshire.

"In the Bakewell district the adder is more often seen than the ring snake, the average of the former being about 22 inches, that of the latter about 30 inches. The smooth snake does not occur, to my knowledge. In the summer of 1898, on a Field Club day, we came across a very fine adder which on examination appeared to be quite blind, the result of some kind of fungus growth over the eyes."-Wm. Boulsover, Bakewell, Derbyshire.

1 This was probably a case of canker.-Author.

"The ring snake is the most common, averaging 3 feet in adult state, but has been taken up to 4 feet. "The adder is fairly common, the adult averaging 18 inches.

"The smooth snake does not occur,

ledge.

to my know

"I have kept all three of our snakes in captivity. I have bred ring snakes, and witnessed the copulation of these animals. The male becomes very active for about half an hour before copulation, cutting all sorts of fantastic capers, the female remaining quite passive. A female I had in captivity always laid her eggs in the same spot in the cage, that spot being the warmest, where she and the eggs got the morning, noon, and afternoon sun. She always incubated her

eggs in confinement, like the python in the Zoo, instead of leaving them to the warmth of nature, as ring snakes do in a state of nature. Why the change of habit? Was she aware of her changed conditions, and hence took to protecting her eggs? She laid eggs to the number of 16 at a time.

"I have seen a large female ring snake swallow four adult frogs at one meal; and have often made the snake disgorge frogs by stroking the snake's neck, the frogs being none the worse for having been ternporarily swallowed.

I have kept a viper under water for twenty-five minutes-a long time for a reptile to be under water.

A ring snake of mine swallowed a common toad and then ejected it, and would never again touch toads. I saw a young ring snake swallow a slowworm almost its own size, but I arrived in time to release the slow-worm, the latter none the worse."Lin. Greening, Warrington.

"The ring snake or grass snake is the more common in this county, and full-grown adults attain a length of about 33 inches.

"I have only met with a single specimen of the adder during fifteen years or more. I have never seen the small red variety of adder, though I have seen quite marked varieties. Last year I saw a very interesting variety from Bull Bay, Anglesey, where this species is common."-R. Newstead, Grosvenor Museum, Chester.

Lancashire and Cheshire.

"The ring snake occurs occasionally about Whittingham, near Preston, but is not so frequent as formerly. I have not seen one over 22 inches long. Its local name is 'lang worm' (long worm). It also occurs on Hale Moss, near Bowdon.

"The adder is common on Chat Moss; near Patricroft (where I have frequently seen them basking at the foot of the railway banks); not infrequent on the peaty heath-covered tops of the Fells; Bleasdale Forest; Parlic Pike; Fairsnape, &c. The average length of those I have seen in North Lancashire would be about 13 inches. Since the introduction of mowing-machines the ring snake and the slow-worm have much decreased in numbers, and I have many times seen them-especially the latter-snipped to pieces in the machine." R. Standen, Manchester Museum, Owens College, Manchester.

Note. A farmer in Monmouthshire told me that he had cut up three adders in this way in mowing one field of hay this summer (1900).—Author.

common wherever the locality is suitable for them, but they are gradually dying out from continuous persecution. The general length of the males is 18 or 19 inches, that of the females 20 to 22 inches. The largest female that I have measured was 253 inches. Varieties are very scarce. I have seen hundreds, but not until this last summer (1900) have I seen any variation from the usual type. I caught (and afterwards set at liberty again) a male adder about 18 inches in length, of a bright brickred ground colour, with very black markings of the ordinary pattern. It was on moorland. In those I have dissected I have never found any other