74 BRITISH SERPENTS. 



sloughs, I have rarely come across a whole one. My 

 own conclusion is, that in the wild state the casting 

 of the slough whole or entire is largely a matter of 

 accident. 



A very favourite method of divesting itself of the 

 slough in the case of the ring snake is to climb into 

 a shrub about a foot or so from the ground. The 

 blackthorn is much used in this way where it grows. 

 Wedging itself between two branches, the snake then 

 begins a process of wriggling, and in a few minutes the 

 cast slough is left hanging in the shrub. 



The cast sloughs of both the adder and ring snake 

 are held in considerable veneration in the rustic mind, 

 and are credited with various powers of healing. The 

 particular power ascribed to them varies in different 

 localities. Thus the sloughs are believed to have the 

 power of drawing out thorns from the flesh if worn 

 over the point of puncture ; of curing rheumatism if 

 worn as a garter round the knee ; of preventing sun- 

 stroke and curing headache if put on round the head. 



The young of the adder cast their first slough in 

 the embryo, which can be seen in an illustration in 

 the chapter on the development of that species. 



