76 Retrospective Criticism, 



Mr. Blyth asserts (VI. 521.) that " the common chifFchafF 

 of this country, S. 16quax Herbert^ S. hippolais of other British 

 authors) is a distinct species from the S. rufa.'* I agree in the 

 opinion that the S. loquax is identical with the S. hippolais of 

 British authors ; but I do not stop here, as I consider the S. 

 rufa identical with it also, from the fact that the song, habits, 

 and manners of the chiffchafF, as long known to me, accord 

 fully as well with the descriptions of S. rufa, as these are given 

 by Continental authors, as they do with those of the "S. loquax 

 of Herbert," or " the S. hippolais of other British authors : " 

 in addition to which, the dimensions and plumage of the spe- 

 cimen that I most particularly examined, and which was shot 

 when in the act of uttering its singular song, coincided with 

 those of the S. rufa as they are detailed by Temminck, Rennie, 

 &c. — W, Thompson. Donegal Square^ Belfast^ Nov.2S. 1833. 



The Red Viper, (VI. 399. 526.) — Another specimen of 

 this viper was brought me on Sept. 13. 1833 : its length 

 was 9i in. E. N. D. asserts (VI. 526.) that the red viper 

 is the young of the common one ; but I cannot consider this 

 as proved, till the vipers of intermediate size are captured 

 and described. I have never been able to procure any but 

 full-grown vipers, and young ones yet unborn : the latter are 

 greyish, with dark markings, and show no signs of the pecu- 

 liar colour of the red viper. Now, although colour alone is 

 not sufficient to characterise the species of Ophidia, yet any 

 marked difference of size would certainly form a specific dis- 

 tinction. If, therefore, the red viper should prove never to 

 exceed 10 in. in length, or if a series of young common 

 vipers could be procured, of various sizes, but uniform in 

 colour with the old ones, the distinctness of the red viper 

 would be proved. I trust some of your readers may be able 

 to decide this question. I am obliged to E. N. D. for his 

 " information " that the number of scuta in snakes is variable ; 

 but if he will look at my communication, in p. 400., he will 

 find that I have there stated the same thing. 



The Black Viper, mentioned by Mr. Blyth (VI. 527. )> 

 differs from the common one only (I believe) in being of a 

 darker colour ; and is, therefore, deservedly considered a 

 variety. — H, E. Strickland. Nov, 22. 1833. 



The Black Viper. (VI. 527.) — When E. N. D. says 

 (VI. 526.) " there is but one species of viper or poi- 

 sonous reptile in England, he forgets the black viper (Co- 

 luber Prester of Linnaeus) ; to the existence of which, in the 

 west of England, Mr. Blyth also alludes doubtfully, in VI. 

 527. Of this species, I have seen, at different times, alive 

 and at large, two specimens in the Isle of Wight, one of 



