2 THE VIVARIUM. 
their growth. Every morning, as I came down to breakfast, I 
could see some change and progress. Soon, however, I began to 
think that the fernery would be far more attractive were it to 
contain animal, as well as plant life. Presently, therefore, I had 
a small tank made, fixed it in the soil among the ferns, and thus 
formed a tiny pond. I then procured some Lizards, and as they 
seemed to live quite happily in the case, basking wherever they 
could manage to get a gleam of sunshine, I added a few Slow- 
worms, and afterwards two or three Water-tortoises. Thus, gradu- 
ally, I was led to keep and find pleasure in Reptiles. 
Many people have really a repugnance for these creatures, and 
so might I have had had it not have been for the experience 
related above. They seem to shudder at the very name of 
Reptile. Why? For the most part these animals are perfectly 
harmless, some of them exceedingly beautiful, and many wonder- 
fully quaint and curious. This repugnance, I think, comes rather 
of training than of instinct. A man who dreads them does so not 
instinctively, but because his parents and fore-parents dreaded 
them before him, and he has always, or nearly always, heard them 
spoken of with disgust. This disgust, hatred, or dread of Reptiles 
probably originated partly through our ancestors’ natural distrust 
of the unfamiliar, and partly because some of these animals were 
known to have the power of giving most deadly wounds. 
As an illustration, I venture to mention that some time ago a 
foolish nurse frightened my little daughter by talking to her of 
the dreadfulness of Snakes, and the consequence was that the 
child frequently cried out in terror at night, dreaming of Snakes. 
But her fear of these animals was quickly dispelled when I showed 
her, and let her handle, a young Green Snake (TZropidonotus 
natriz), somewhat longer than an ordinary penholder, and not 
quite so thick. A few weeks after this, a parishioner brought 
me an unusually large Slow-worm (Anguis fragilis), and as I was 
away from home at the time, handed it over to the care of my 
small son, who put it into a bottle and placed it in my study. 
Soon it was discovered that the creature had escaped and was 
roaming over the floor of the room. While the servants were 
discussing what was to be done, my little daughter, not five years 
old, went of her own accord into the study, and looking about, 
