BRITISH REPTILES 
ferred on man by the beautiful, harmless being, he, 
as a rule, has crushed it to death whenever he has 
seen it. Slugs, caterpillars, and other pests are the 
food of the slow-worm. Not even the viper is held 
in such abhorrence by them as the innocent slow- 
worm. 
If I have not been near enough to pick it up and 
put it in my pocket, when, in the company of country 
friends, I have seen one lying on the road, no mercy 
has been shown ; crunch has gone the heel of a heavy 
boot, and it was done for. If I have been able to 
save the harmless creature in the way mentioned, I 
have had all the road to myself afterwards, with the 
echo of various opinions on my conduct in general, 
couched in the most forcible language they were 
capable of using, sounding in my ears. 
I have seen fine specimens of this really legless 
lizard. Their colour varies from a warm grey to a light 
bronze. 
The title of blind-worm is wrong all ways, for the 
creature has very bright eyes, and also eye-lids. It 
is so very smooth you might easily pass it by, taking 
it for the broken handle of some old red-glazed tea- 
pot, as it lies curled on the ground. 
I sincerely trust that the poor creature will not 
be persecuted as it has been. So far as my own 
