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rapidly. Upon two occasions I have known this reptile move 
so quickly that my sight was totally unable to follow its 
movements. The Blindworm emerges from his winter retreat 
about the same time as the Lizard. If he does not discover 
sunshine at the entrance of his burrow he will exert him- 
self to come within reach of its life-giving power, and will 
even climb to the top of a bush a yard high in order to be 
warmed by the sun’s rays. When thus basking, and before he 
is thoroughly awake, his glistening form may attract the atten- 
tion of some passing urchin, who at once believes the creature 
to be a venomous snake, but on seeing it lie inert and 
apparently asleep, he takes courage, hurls a great stone 
upon it, or batters it to pieces with a stick. We are gradually 
becoming aware of the economic value of some of our birds, 
and an uncertain protection has been accorded them, but many 
of our reptiles are as useful as birds, and should be encouraged 
rather than exterminated. The food of this reptile principally 
consists of small slugs and worms; for this reason it is well 
adapted to captivity in a fern-case, or it may be liberated on an 
open rockery, and in the latter situation it will survive, within 
my knowledge, for fifteen years. 
The Sloworm is perfectly harmless. I once received a bite, 
which bled pretty freely, from one of these reptiles, but the 
wounds (for there were many of them, caused by the numerous 
teeth) healed very quickly. 
This reptile brings forth from 6 to 16 young at a birth. 
I had one which gave birth to 23 young in two consecutive 
years. 
The Sloworm is a good weather prophet, and often comes 
from his hole, on the look out for slugs, before the shower has 
fallen which is going to attract from their places of seclusion 
the creatures upon which he subsists. I believe the Sloworm 
attains his full length when about three years old. 
T have no record of the Smooth Snake (Coronella Leevis) 
having been seen wild in this county. 
The common or Ringed Snake (Coluber Natrix) is a more 
persecuted, and, consequently, a more timid reptile than those 
