52 The Field Naturalist' s Quarterly Feb. 



In both lizards and snakes there is a long period of 

 torpor, but the time of the year at which this takes place 

 depends on the country concerned. Thus in tropical and 

 sub-tropical climes the reptiles retire in the hot dry season, 

 to reappear when the rains begin. They thus do not hiber- 

 nate but " sestivate." In a letter received from the Trans- 

 vaal last November, from a lonely blockhouse, the writer 

 says : " The rainy season having now commenced, we amuse 

 ourselves snake-hunting for something to do." In colder 

 climates, such as our own, both lizards and snakes dis- 

 appear as a rule during the early part of October, and are 

 not seen again until the following spring. During the 

 whole of this period no food is taken, and the reptile lies 

 to all outward appearance dead. The small common lizard 

 gets to the bottom of a thick tussock of grass, the sand 

 lizard burrows under the sand, and our third lizard, the 

 slow-worm, is generally found under a heap of stones or 

 leaves. The last species often congregates in numbers of 

 from six to a dozen together to hibernate. This congrega- 

 tion is also to be observed in the adder and in the ring 

 snake, large numbers of both species being turned out from 

 rabbit-holes, old walls, and quarries, these being the usual 

 sorts of places frequented. If roused artificially from their 

 sleep, the result is commonly death, and it is generally 

 believed that a bite from an adder at this season is com- 

 paratively harmless. 



The observer will look in vain for any sign of life in a 

 serpent thus hibernating. In my own cages out of doors 

 I have this week closely examined both adders and ring- 

 snakes, and failed absolutely to detect any sign of breathing 

 or of the action of the heart. The serpent lies limp and 

 helpless and very cold, to all appearance a lifeless thing. 

 Yet two months hence or so the inanimate body will once 

 more resume activity, and in the case of the venomous 

 species will require considerably more careful handling. 

 This reptile hibernation is a different thing from ordinary 

 sleep. An adder will often be encountered asleep in the 

 sun in summer, but in that condition it is in full physiological 

 activity as regards digestion, respiration, circulation, and 

 other processes: in the winter hibernation, however, all 



