CONTENTS. 



PART I. 



CHAP. PAGE 



I. THE CLASS REPTILIA ..... 3 



II. TROPIDONOTUS NATRIX, OR THE RING SNAKE . 11 



III. THE RING SNAKE — continued. THE PLAGUE OF 



SNAKES AT LLANELLY . . . .29 



IV. SNAKES IN IRELAND IN 1900 . . .38 

 V. CORONELLA AUSTRIACA, OR THE SMOOTH SNAKE . 43 



VI. HIBERNATION AND SLOUGHING . . .60 



VII. VIPER A BERUS, OR ADDER . . . .75 



viii. the adder — continued. ANATOMY . . .96 



ix. the adder — continued, colour variation in 



BRITISH ADDERS . . . .109 



X. THE ADDER — continued. THE EFFECT OF ADDER 



VENOM ...... 126 



XI. THE ADDER — continued. THE REPRODUCTION OF 



THE ADDER ..... 143 



XII. THE ADDER — continued. SWALLOWING THE YOUNG 



FOR PROTECTION .... 164 



xiii. the adder — continued, statements by corre- 

 spondents ON THE SWALLOWING OF THE 

 YOUNG BY THE MOTHER . . .176 



