78 The Natural History of Selborne 



Common snake 



state and become land animals, as I have observed, by keep- 

 ing them alive for some time myself." * 



Linnseus, in his " Systema Naturae," hints at what Mr. 

 Ellis advances more than once. 



Providence has been so indulgent to us as to allow of but 

 one venomous reptile of the serpent kind in these kingdoms, 

 and that is the viper. As you propose the good of mankind 

 to be 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 examination, 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 maturity as to contain any 



1 The newt is not the larva of the lizard, but is an amphibian belonging 

 to a distinct order. It passes, however, through a tadpole state, during 

 which it is provided with fish-like gills. In White's time, the relations of 

 the two were ill understood. For particulars, see any good modern work 

 on natural history. ED. 



