ENGLISH SNAKES 155 



tected by thick boot and leggings, disappear. As usual, the adders are 



Two tiny punctures mark the place more lethargic, and rarely move until 



where he struck, the whole movement disturbed ; but they too are difficult to 



being far too rapid for the eye to fol- capture uninjured in this situation, 



low. Then finding that his attack Still in an hour or so we have a fair 



has not disarmed us, he once more collection of both species, including 



resumes the sulky sullen mood and one of the rare small red viper, a little 



refuses to budge an inch, merely hiss- red and fiendishly bold imp of a ser- 



ing continuously. Finally we transfer pent, not more than a foot long, who 



him to a strong vasculum and resume faces us and fights for all he is worth 



our walk. directly disturbed. It is marvellous 



A mile or two across hilly fields, in to watch the movements of the harm- 



which are numerous chalk pits over- less ring snakes in this thick cover, 



grown with gorse and brambles, and we Though but a yard or so from one's 



arrive at the bottom of a wooded hill- eye when started, it is next to impos- 



side, in which we have been informed sible to follow them, and far more are 



snakes abound. A number of wood- seen than are captured. One wonders 



men are at work here, and they inform what they feed upon here in this dry 



us that they have killed three or wood frogs, their favourite food, are 



four per day this last week. This absent and no water is near ; probably 



morning's bag is shown hanging from newts supply their needs. The adders 



a bough and consists of three adders have abundance of food in the mice 



ranging from eighteen to twenty-two and slow-worms, which are plentiful, 



inches in length, and one harmless A few days more snake-hunting in this 



ring snake, nearly three feet long, district yields a representative collec- 



One part of the wood, where a lot of tion of Dorset reptiles, and fairly 



trees have been felled and left to dry, establishes the claims of that county 



is pointed out as especially infested as one of the richest in England for 



and consequently avoided by the men. reptiles. 



Thither we wend our way and in a few Two months later, at the end of 



minutes disturb several ring snakes; June, we find ourselves in a lonely 



but all efforts to capture them are valley in South Herefordshire, once 



unavailing, owing to the amount of more looking for snakes. On our 



brushwood under which they quickly right hand rises Garway Hill, bare in 



