54 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 
but once ina year; or rather, but only just at one season of the 
year. Country people talk much of a water-snake, but, I am pretty 
sure, without any reason; for the common snake (Coluber natrix) 
delights much to sport in the water, perhaps with a view to procure 
frogs and other food. 
I cannot well guess how you are to make out your twelve species 
of reptiles, unless it be by the various species, or rather varieties, 
of our Zacerti, of which Ray enumerates five. I have not had 
opportunity of ascertaining these; but remember well to have seen, 
formerly, several beautiful green Zacerti on the sunny sand-banks 
near Farnham, in Surrey; and Ray admits there are such in 
Ireland.* 
Bennet leaves the question open ; but in the latest edition of “Selborne,” in Bohn’s Illus- 
trated Library, the following note by the editor occurs :—‘‘ Having taken much pains to 
ascertain the fact of young vipers entering the mouth of their mother, I can now have 
little doubt but that such is the case, after the evidence of persons who assured me that 
they had seen it. I also found young vipers in the stomach of the mother of a much 
larger size than they would be when first ready to be excluded.” We presume that the 
young vipers in the stomach of the mother were found alive ; it ismot so stated. Could the 
Zoological Society not do something to solve this problem? A comparatively trifling 
expense would procure a good collection of adders were it known they were wanted, and 
among them a female might be found and watched. See also Mr. White’s remarks, 
Letter XXXI., to Mr. Barrington, where he cut up an adder, and found young in the 
‘abdomen,’ by which term he evidently means the uterus or ovarium, for he adds, 
“* there was little room to suppose they were taken in for refuge.” Letter XXXI. should 
be turned to and read with this one to Pennant. 
* In Mr. Bell’s work on British Reptiles, fourteen species may be said to be given. 
Two of these, however, are Chelonians, or tortoises, and of accidental occurrence only, 
so that Mr. White’s difficulty is not unnatural, considering the general state of information 
when he wrote. 
