260 BRITISH SERPENTS. 



Weymouth District. — " The ring snake is the most 

 common snake in the Weymouth district, though I 

 have found the adder frequently in other parts of the 

 county, restricted, however, to certain localities. I 

 have one specimen of the adder preserved which 

 measures 15 inches. Probably they are often larger, 

 perhaps 18 inches. I have two specimens of the ring 

 snake preserved measuring 26 and 31 inches respec- 

 tively. The smooth snake occurs occasionally on the 

 heaths." — Nelson M. Eichardson, Montevideo, nr. 

 Weymouth. 



" During the last thirteen years I have caught over 

 150 adders and more than double that number of rine 

 snakes. I have been bitten four times by adders, and 

 have the marks of the fangs on my finger now after 

 two years. After the first two bites I did not suffer 

 much, though the part swelled up and throbbed, but 

 I sucked it well and applied ammonia. 



" I have found the ring snake to be the most com- 

 mon, the average length being 30 inches, though of 

 course they do occur much larger, the females bein^ 

 the longest. The adder is found up to 2 feet, not 

 often larger, and in this species also the female is the 

 larger. I have seen the smooth snake, but never caught 

 it, though they are caught in the New Forest, Hants. 



" Two adders I had in captivity brought forth 

 young, one having eleven, the other nine young ones. 

 I brought six of the young up on milk and the minced 

 flesh of rats. 



