SOUTH WALES PROVINCE. 305 



viper or adder especially) exists. The common viper 

 appears to me to have a peculiar liking for the soil 

 of the ironstone measures, the common ring snake 

 being more widely dispersed over coal-beds adjoining. 



" A specimen of the common English snake killed 

 at an old disused lead-mine at Gwernefa, near Llan- 

 trisant, measured 5 feet 10 inches, and was the largest 

 English snake I have ever seen. 



" I mention this particular one to show that the 

 ring snake does not travel far from its place of birth 

 — the snake had been seen for several years near the 

 same place previous to its being killed. The date 

 was the 10th of March 1885, the weather being fine 

 and bright, with occasional heavy snow-showers. On 

 the same morning two companions and myself killed 

 over eighty common snakes and adders, including 

 three of the small red viper, or, as it is locally known, 

 the blood adder. 



" I have seen eight adders killed on the 8th of 

 February in different parts of the bank in one par- 

 ticular field, but no ring snakes were seen on that 

 morning. 



" This would tend to show that the viper feeds 

 earlier in the season than the rin^ snake. The former 

 must also feed very rapidly after being aroused from 

 a torpid state, for I have seen them in the month 

 of May very plump and fat, and having every appear- 

 ance of being well fed, whereas when first seen early 

 in the season they appear very lean and whip-like. 



u 



