326 BRITISH SERPENTS. 



eggs in confinement, like the python in the Zoo, 

 instead of leaving them to the warmth of nature, as 

 ring snakes do in a state of nature. Why the change 

 of habit ? Was she aware of her changed conditions, 

 and hence took to protecting her eggs ? She laid eggs 

 to the number of 16 at a time. 



" I have seen a large female ring snake swallow 

 four adult frogs at one meal ; and have often made 

 the snake disgorge frogs by stroking the snake's neck, 

 the frogs being none the worse for having been tern- 

 porarily swallowed. 



" I have kept a viper under water for twenty-live 

 minutes — a long time for a reptile to be under water. 



" A ring snake of mine swallowed a common toad 

 and then ejected it, and would never again touch 

 toads. I saw a young ring snake swallow a slow- 

 worm almost its own size, but I arrived in time to 

 release the slow-worm, the latter none the worse." — 

 Lin. Greening, Warrington. 



" The ring snake or grass snake is the more com- 

 mon in this county, and full-grown adults attain a 

 length of about 33 inches. 



" I have only met with a single specimen of the 

 adder during fifteen years or more. I have never 

 seen the small red variety of adder, though I have 

 seen quite marked varieties. Last year I saw a very 

 interesting variety from Bull ]>ay, Anglesey, where 

 this species is common." — K. Newstead, Grosvenor 

 Museum, Chester. 



