80 
yet I have seen instances when my pets gave 
birth to as high as twenty-two little ones, and 
I have also noted cases of birth among this 
species as late as the middle of October. The 
baby water adder is quite a pretty snake, with 
bright and distinct markings. The alternating 
yellowish white triangular spots and brownish 
rhomboida] blotches along the sides, with whit- 
ish lines across the back and delicate pencil- 
ings of yellowish and brown on the under side, 
all combine to make a pretty effect. The baby 
snake is about seven inches in length, quite 
stout, very active and full of fight. It feeds on 
tadpoles, baby toads and small fish. 
The water adder when irritated, flattens its 
body to the ground and fiercely attacks its tor- 
mentor. The teeth of this species are large and 
strong and my experience is that their bite is 
more severe than that inflicted by any other 
species of our common snake. It cannot be 
considered a pleasing pet because of its timid, 
suspicious and irritable disposition. It makes 
sad havoc among the fish in a stocked pond. 
The stiff snake—Tropidonotus rigidus—is 
greenish brown above, with two brownish dor- 
sal stripes. Beneath it is dull yellow with two 
rows of brown spots. This species seldom 
grows more than twenty inches in length. 
The leather snake—Tropidonotus leberis—is 
quite an attractive reptile ; it attains a length 
of about two feet. It is chestnut brown above, 
with three narrow, black dorsal stripes and a 
