EEPTILES. 459 



number of abdominal and sub -caudal plates, always thirty of 

 the former and twenty of the latter less than in the ringed 

 snake. It is difficult to determine the exact number of these, 

 but, according to Lenz, the male viper has 139 by 36 to 

 145 by 41, and the female from 130 by 28 to 150 by 33. 

 The colour varies much, according to age and sex, but the 

 back is always darker than the rest of the body, usually 

 dirty yellow or olive brown, with spots along each side ; belly 

 steel blue, sometimes with a yellowish tinge. It seems 

 curious, but I have observed that the black variety is very 

 local, and where one is found, others are always in the neigh- 

 bourhood ; usual length two feet, rarely more. Is met with 

 in all parts of Scandinavia, as far up as South Lapland, and, 

 according to Nilsson, its most northerly range is between 

 66 and 67 north lat. I killed a female specimen up at 

 Quickiock, Lulea Lapland, and I killed a magnificent speci- 

 men in May, 1864, in South Wermland. They usually pair 

 here in May, and the female brings forth her living young 

 in August. Nilsson says that they can pair in the third or 

 fourth year, but they are not full grown till the sixth or 

 seventh. 



Eespecting the incredible story of the old viper swallow- 

 ing her young when disturbed, I can only say that such a 

 thing was never witnessed either by myself or any other man 

 with whom I have spoken, nor did any one here ever hear 

 of such a thing till I mentioned it. 



AMPHIBIA. 



Body naked, covered only with a clammy skin. When 

 young they breathe through gills. Can live on land as well 

 as in water. 



ORDER 4,-BATRACHII. 



Body naked, with four feet, which have no claws. Like 

 the snakes, they change their skins, but piece by piece, in 

 the water. When young, they breathe through gills,, after- 



