British Reptiles : Lizards 



We invited this hunter to supper at the inn, but he 

 declined to dine in what he termed "a hotel." If it 

 was all the same to us, he would call during the evening 

 and partake of light refreshments, we were made to 

 understand. Later that day we learned " light refresh- 

 ments " meant " four beers." 



From his conversation it appeared he was the village 

 slater — not a very steady or remunerative job, one 

 might surmise, in a rural village ; but at odd times he 

 undertook the duties of grave-digger, stableman, and 

 scavenger of the village. He was a curious compound 

 of fact and fancy. If this man had had even an 

 ordinary school-board education, he might have attained 

 a high place in life ; a University training would cer- 

 tainly have fitted him for a professorship. He was 

 perhaps the most extraordinary individual I ever met, 

 considering his sphere in life. He was somewhat of 

 a geologist, botanist, zoologist, and historian, and a 

 naturalist in the broadest sense. He had had no 

 training in any branch of science, only an innate love 

 for Nature formed the basis of all his acquired 

 knowledge. 



We engaged him to hunt for Slow-worms the follow- 

 ing day. He was at the inn door an hour before we 

 had breakfast, and sat outside the door in the same 

 fashion as if he were engaged for a grouse-drive. Before 

 we started we offered him a glass of beer, knowing his 

 love for this beverage. He declined, as he changed 

 his oaken staff from one hand to the other. " I never 



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