SOUTH WALES PROVINCE. 309 



proven.' Adders are ovo-viviparous — that is, the eggs 

 are retained in the oviduct and hatched there, the 

 young, to the number of from 10 to 15, making their 

 advent alive, and as spiteful and vicious as their 

 parent. 



" The fact of an adder being killed and live young 

 found inside does not prove that she swallowed them. 



" I have several times had my dogs bitten by adders 

 in Monmouthshire, but in no instance did the bite 

 prove fatal, although the animals were very ill for 

 some time afterwards. In one case, where a Gordon 

 setter was bitten on the nose by a very large viper, I 

 thought the poor dog would have died on the spot. 

 He had to be carried home, and after being dosed 

 with ammonia, eventually recovered." — T. W. Proger 

 (author of chapter on Local Eeptilia in the Guide- 

 Book for British Association in Cardiff). 



Brecon. 



" The ring snake is by far the most common snake 

 here, and its average length is exceptional, being 

 probably four and a half fed. I have seen one 

 specimen which was 5 feet 9 inches in length. 



" I have seen only one adder in ten years, but the 

 average length is about 21 inches." — W. W. Baldock 

 Fry, M.B., Builth, Breconshire. 



Note. — The ring snake has a larger average length 

 in Brecon than anywhere I know of in this country, 



