BRITISH REPTILES 



Slow Worm, and Common Lizard. Superstitions con- 

 cerning Snakes are many, and it is only possible to draw 

 attention to a few of these. These interesting animals 

 are both loathed and feared. Any creature of the nature 

 of a Snake is regarded as harmful, or obnoxious, and is 

 killed at sight. The harmless Grass Snake, and the still 

 more harmless Slow Worm, both suffer the penalty of 

 death on this score. Even in Biblical history there is 

 evidence to show the disdain, distaste, and distrust 

 with which these tenants of earth and water were re- 

 garded, for Christ referred in his condemnation of the 

 Pharisees in the words : "Ye Serpents, ye generation of 

 Vipers." The Serpent entered into the Biblical story 

 of the Garden of Eden as the betrayer of Eve, and 

 although the latter did not regard the reptile with aversion, 

 in the days of Pharaoh this fearlessness had changed to 

 one of terror. A poor London urchin is said to have 

 died of fright on seeing a Snake by his bedside, yet in 

 olden times, arising out of fear and insufficient knowledge. 

 Snakes were objects of much veneration, and extra- 

 ordinary powers were believed in regard to them. 

 Dryden in his translation of Virgil speaks of a serpent 

 which " rolls " and " rides," and of how " the sacred 

 monster shot along the ground." Longfellow in his 

 wonderful epic of " Hiawatha " makes " great serpents " 

 and " fiery serpents," " with their blazing crests up- 

 lifted," breathe, if you please, " fiery fogs and vapours." 



Snakes are almost invariably referred to, or regarded, as 

 slimy creatures. This they are not. They are cold- 



