2'6^ Natural History in the English Counties. 



public lectures during the winter months. In 1821, the Society, with a 

 view of increasing its influence with the oligarchy, took the title of Royal ; 

 but, as it still continues poor, the title does not seem to have done it much 

 good. In 1828, the Society purchased and fitted up two spacious and 

 convenient rooms as a museum. A theatre for lectures, and a laboratory 

 for metallurgic researches, are in contemplation. The museum contains 

 specimens of nearly all the birds of that part of the country, whether 

 natives or visitants ; presented by Mr. C. Jackson, chemist, of East Looe. 

 A collection of shells has lately received large additions from Sir Charles 

 Lemon, bart. The niineralogical collection contains numerous valuable and 

 interesting specimens. The collection of rock specimens is so arranged as 

 to give a general idea of the outlines of geology ; but the detail belongs to 

 another Society, with which this desires always to cooperate in their com- 

 mon object, the diffusion of science. There are some fossil organic re- 

 mains, ancient coins, specimens of manufactures of foreign and uncivilised 

 countries ; Buffon's works in 74 vols., and 150 vols, of French scientific 

 journals, presented by John Forster, Esq., of London, well known for his 

 liberality. This Institution is always ready to exchange duplicates with 

 any similar Society, or with individuals. The objects and laws of the In- 

 stitution are printed at Truro, and the secretaries are Mr. W. M. Tweedy, 

 and Mr. J. T. Nankivell there. — A. B. B. Truro, Jan. 1831. 



Essex. 



An Adder and its Eggs. — In the beginning of the month of August, 

 1830, I resided for some weeks on the coast of Essex. I had repeat- 

 edly observed, in a little grove, an adder coiled up among some brushwood 

 at the foot of a tree. It always managed to elude my pursuit, until 

 one day, having very cautiously approached its haunt, I succeeded in 

 placing my foot on its tail. In the hurry of the moment I mistook it for 

 a snake, or I should not have hazarded the experiment : fortunately, how- 

 ever, instead of turning to inflict a venomed wound, it endeavoured to 

 regain its hole, and I was thus allowed time to seize it firmly by the throat, 

 and to hold it, until my brother, with a pair of scissors, had cut out its 

 poisoned fangs, and had separated the spinal marrow with a penknife. On 

 performing the former operation, a few drops of the deadly fluid were 

 ejected upon his hand. Life soon appeared to be extinct, and I stretched 

 the creature on the ground, in order to measure it : in length it was 2 ft. 

 5 in., and its bulk was very extraordinary, which led me to suppose that it 

 was a female about to bring forth a noxious progeny. On opening it some 

 hours afterwards, I discovered a string of eggs, fourteen in number, in 

 each of which was a young adder, perfectly formed, and enveloped in a 

 glutinous fluid. These little creatures, although they had never seen the 

 light, were lively, and I thought they even evinced an inclination to bite, 

 which made me cautious not to bring my fingers into contact with their 

 mouths. I took some of them out of the eggs, and they soon died, but 

 those which were laid on a piece of paper, with their envelope unbroken, 

 were alive and active many hours afterwards, and would probably have 

 lived a long time had they been Left undisturbed. As may be supposed, 

 the parent animal was now in nearly an empty state ; but on examining its 

 heart, I perceived that it was still strongly convulsed. I removed it with 

 a penknife, and laying it on a piece of white paper, was much interested in 

 watching its motions. It continued to beat, with little abatement of force, 

 for an hour, when its palpitations, though still strong, became less rapid, 

 and ceased in half an hour more, apparently less from want of energy in 

 the organ than because it had begun to dry and adhere to the paper. I 

 stuffed the parent, and preserved the young ones in spirits ; and both pre- 

 parations now form part of my little museum. — Anon, Jan. 1831. 



