196 BRITISH SERPENTS. 



of the valley one must go through it : on right and 

 left the mountains shut the traveller in. Both hills 

 are well wooded — with this difference, that while Gar- 

 way Hill is only covered with fern and bracken on its 

 upper third, the Graig is wooded thickly to its summit, 

 and has a margin of cleared land at the river-side. It 

 is necessary to note these features in order to under- 

 stand how the fauna of this or any similar locality is 

 affected by natural boundaries. 



Ophidia found. — It so happened that it was 

 winter when these observations commenced, so the 

 reptiles were hibernating ; and one could only proceed 

 by making inquiries. This was done, making use of 

 the class of people of most service for such a purpose 

 — viz., gamekeepers, woodmen, farmers, and others 

 whose occupations take them to the more secluded 

 parts of the locality to be investigated. Their replies 

 to my questions were carefully noted, and these replies 

 showed a singular uniformity which very much struck 

 me. I invariably got the answer, " There's no snakes 

 here, only adders,'' or occasionally the reptiles were 

 termed " vipers." On further inquiry as to the usual 

 size of the serpents these men were familiar with, a 

 similar uniformity was observable in the estimates 

 they gave of size. All agreed in putting the ordinary 

 length of the only snake which they knew of at about 

 " 2 feet or a bit over." Experience teaches that snake 

 measurements which are only estimated are not always 

 to be relied upon, and so it seemed that very probably 



