112 THE VIVARIUM. 
this country. It differs from the Old World Glass Snake, among 
other things, in possessing no external rudiments of limbs. It 
is green above marked with yellow and black; the lower partis 
are yellow. It is about 30in. in length; the tail being nearly 
twice as long as the head and body. 
The Slow-worm (Angus fragilis, Fig. 43). An intelligent 
village carpenter was one day repairing the greenhouse in which 
I keep many Reptiles, and seeing them, told me that a small 
boy in the neighbourhood had lately been bitten by a viper. 
“But he did not die,’”’ I remarked. ‘“ No,” said the man, 
“he didn’t. It’s lucky he wasn’t stung by one of those 
Slow-worms. They are far worse, I have heard tell, than any 
viper.”? This man had lived in the country all his life, with the 
exception of a year or two spent in London to “ improve himself,”’ 
and yet he was able, in all good faith, to speak so unjustly of so 
harmless and gentle a Reptile as the Slow-worm. He, however, 
entertained no uncommon ideas in regard to this useful little 
Lizard. 
Most of the couniry people who live where these creatures 
abound in the hedges and on the moors believe them to be 
capable of much injury. They hardly ever miss an opportunity 
of killing one, imagining that by their deed they have conferred 
a benefit upon the community. Jam sure many a farmer or 
labourer would rather risk handling a viper than a Slow-worm. 
A young friend of mine, who is fond of Reptiles, told me, lately, 
that she was allowed to keep her Snake in the house, but not her 
Slow-worm lest it should escape. One is at a loss to understand 
how this general fear of such an innocuous animal as the Slow 
worm could have arisen. It should be considered as a useful 
friend rather than as a vindictive foe. It has not the power 
to hurt anyone, even if it had the will. When it does, under the 
influence of fear or in self-defence attempt to bite, its little fang- 
like teeth are not able to pierce the skin of the hand. However, 
it very rarely tries to bite. JI have kept, from time to time, a 
great many of these interesting creatures, and have frequently 
handled them, taking up sometimes half-a-dozen or more at once, 
when they have formed themselves into a tangled mass under 
some piece of bark in the fernery, but have never seen them 
