68 History of Nature. [BOOK VIII. 



The Badger 1 (Meles) hath another sort of Craft when 

 under the Influence of Fear; for they will so draw in their 

 Breath as to distend their Skin, and thus repel the biting of 

 the Dogs and the Blow of the Hunters. 



Squirrels 2 also foresee a Change of Weather ; and they 

 shut up their Holes on that Side from which the Wind is 

 about to blow, and open the Doors on the other Side. More- 

 over, they possess a broad bushy Tail with which to cover 

 their whole Body. Thus some Creatures provide Food 

 against Winter, and others are fed with Sleep only. 



CHAPTER XXXIX. 

 Of the Viper, Snails, and Lizards. 



OF Serpents it is said, that the Viper 3 alone lieth hid in 

 the Ground; whereas the rest keep within Hollows of Trees 

 or Rocks ; and otherwise they endure Hunger a whole Year, 

 provided they be kept from extreme Cold. All the Time of 

 their Retreat they sleep, and are without Poison. 4 



In like manner do Snails ; 5 and not only in the Winter, 

 but in Summer again, adhering so closely to Rocks, that 

 although by Force they are plucked off and turned upward, 

 still they will not come out of their Shell. In the Balearic 

 Islands there are some called Cavaticae, which never creep 

 out of the Holes in the Ground ; neither do they live on any 

 Herb, but they hang together like Clusters of Grapes. Ano- 

 ther Sort there is of them, but not so common; which hide 

 themselves within the Cover of their Shell, which sticks fast 

 to them : these lie always buried in the Ground, and were in 



1 Meles vulgaris. DESMAREST. The Badger. Wern. Club. 



2 Sciurus vulgaris. LINN. The Squirrel. Wern. Club. 



3 Coluber Berus. LINN. The Common Viper. Wern. Club. 



4 " The Viper, like the other reptiles, seeks a secret and secure place 

 in which to hibernate during the cold months of the year. Here several 

 are found entwined together, and in a very torpid condition ; and if at 

 this period a viper be made to wound an animal with its poison fang, no 

 injury is likely to result from it: the poison does not exist at all, or is 

 inert." BELL'S British Reptiles. Wern. Club. 



5 Cochlea. Lib. ix. 56. 



