THE RING SNAKE. 37 



the eggs had probably been deposited in the hollow 

 wall, and the young developed there. The twenty- 

 two that were killed at the same time were, moreover, 

 all the same size, which also bears out this sup- 

 position. 



According to the calculation of Mr Lewis, 1200 

 young ring snakes were despatched on the occasion of 

 the pulling down of the back wall on October 27, 1900. 

 It is almost a pity that the repairs were not deferred 

 for another week or two, when the condition of things 

 would have been a sight worth seeing. But I should 

 expect that the dwellers in Cefncaeau How have not 

 seen the last of their unwelcome visitors, as no doubt 

 there are more old ones in the quarry, who will turn 

 up in the spring again. 



I have gone into this plague of snakes in some 

 detail because it illustrates very well the habits and 

 haunts of our most common serpent, and also because, 

 as far as I know, it is the most remarkable incident 

 of its kind on record in this country. 



