X PREFACE. 



My cordial thanks are offered, too, to Sir Robert 

 Hodson and Dr Thompson for supplying me with 

 the actual facts in connection with the occurrence of 

 ring snakes in Ireland; and to Mr Thomas and Mr 

 Lewis for so kindly sending me information and 

 specimens regarding the Plague of Snakes at Llanelly. 

 I am also indebted to G. A. Boulenger, F.R.S., F.Z.S., 

 for the measurements of adders in the British Museum, 

 and other kind assistance. The fatal case of adder- 

 bite I have quoted from the ' British Medical Journal,' 

 by permission of the editor ; and the observer, Dr P. 

 P. Jennings. 



With regard to the illustrations in this book, all are 

 from my own photographs with the exception of the 

 portrait of " Brusher Mills," which is supplied by Mr 

 Short of Lyndhurst ; the photo of the blunt-tailed 

 ring-snake, which is by Mr Forrest, and that of the 

 adder from Piev. H. A. Macpherson's book, previously 

 acknowledged. I owe a special debt of gratitude, 

 however, to Piev. 0. Pickard Cambridge for lending 

 me specimens of the smooth snake to photograph. 

 Snakes are not the easiest of objects to photograph, 

 and I trust my illustrations will be judged, not from 

 the point of view of artistic pictures, but as indicating 

 the special point aimed at in each. 



Most of these photos are now published for the 



