COUNTY AND DISTRICT DISTRIBUTION. 247 



Both adders and rino- snakes are found in the Forest 

 of Dean. 



I have taken the small red viper in Hereford and 

 Monmouth, and it almost certainly occurs in Glouces- 

 tershire, and in the Forest of Wyre in Shropshire. 



The smooth snake is unrecorded in this province. 



VI. South Wales Province. 



Vipera bents. — The adder is very common in the 

 mountainous districts of Pembroke, Cardigan, and 

 Caermarthen, and often attains a length of 2 feet 

 there. This province has been little worked for 

 serpents, but I believe, from correspondence in my 

 possession, that inland from Cardigan Bay the Ophidia 

 are almost as numerous as anywhere. Parts of this 

 district are wild and undisturbed, and a systematic 

 investigation would probably yield some interesting 

 results. 



Tropidonotus matrix. — The ring snake in Breconshire 

 attains its maximum average in the country — namely, 

 over 4 feet — and larger specimens are found not un- 

 commonly. The whole of this province affords excel- 

 lent " cover " for snakes, and they have here also a 

 minimum risk of extermination. It is difficult, how- 

 ever, to get very much reliable information for this 

 province, Naturalist Clubs and competent observers 

 being few and far between. 



Just as these pages go to press a very interesting 

 new fact in this province is brought to light. A speci- 



