XVII.] OF SELBORNE. 57 



an object of your publications, you will not omit to mention 

 common salad-oil as a sovereign remedy against the bite of the 

 viper. As to the blind-worm (Anguis fragilis, so called because 

 it snaps in sunder with a small blow), I have found on exami- 

 nation that it is perfectly innocuous. A neighbouring yeoman 

 (to whom I am indebted for some good hints) killed and opened 

 a female viper about the 27th of May ; he found her filled with 

 a chain of eleven eggs, about the size of those of a blackbird ; 

 but none of them were advanced so far towards a state of matu- 

 rity as to contain any rudiments of young. Though they are 

 oviparous, yet they are viviparous also, hatching their young 

 withiu their bellies, and then bringing them forth. Whereas 

 snakes lay chains of eggs every summer in my melon-beds, in spite 

 of all that my people can do to prevent them ; which eggs do 

 not hatch till the spring following, as I have often experienced. 

 Several intelligent folks assure me that they have seen the viper 

 open her mouth and admit her helpless young down her throat 

 on sudden surprises, just as the female opossum does her brood 

 into the pouch under her belly, upon the like emergencies ; and 

 yet the London viper-catchers insist on it, to Mr. Harrington, 

 that no such thing ever happens. The serpent kind eat, I be- 

 lieve, but once in a 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 the various species, or rather 

 varieties, of our Lacerti, of which Ray enumerates five. I have 

 not had opportunity of ascertaining these ; but remember well 

 to have seen, formerly, several beautiful green Lacerti on the 

 sunny sandbanks near Farnham, in Surrey; and Eay admits 

 there are such in Ireland. 



SELBORNE, June 18, 1768. 



VOL. I. 



