306 BRITISH SERPENTS. 



Again, with regard to the adder, I have followed 

 the young vipers, and have more than once seen 

 them disappear when 5 or 6 inches long down the 

 throat of the parent adder. When the young are in 

 danger the parent sets up a loud hissing, which at- 

 tracts the young, who seek refuge in the manner 

 before stated. I speak from actual experience. I 

 know the point is much discussed by naturalists, but 

 I have seen the mother adder killed with the young 

 alive in her pouch or throat to the number of four. 



" 1. The most common snake would appear to be the 

 ring snake. 



" 2. The average length of the adder would be 1 

 foot 8 inches. 



" 3. The red viper occurs, but is very rare. I have 

 seen some twenty or thirty specimens from Bridgend 

 on the east to Pentyrch on the west of the county. 



"4. I have known two instances of snake- bite, 

 neither of which was fatal. The viper's bite is very 

 poisonous. One of the injured was a child, aged eight 

 or nine years, bitten on the heel whilst bathing. The 

 other was an adult, bitten on the hand whilst fencing. 

 Both were ill for several weeks, but the bite did not 

 appear to have any particular after-effects ; and I 

 believe that, unless a person's constitution were in 

 a very bad or weak state, the bite of the English 

 adder or viper is seldom fatal. 



" I have seen several small terriers and sheep-dogs 

 bitten by adders, but have never known a dog to die 



