Swimming of Snakes. 383 



perhaps, think the following statement worth recording, which 

 I send as a mere matter of personal observation, without pro- 

 fessing to have paid any attention to the study of natural 

 history. 



About sixteen years since, I hired part of an enclosed 

 heath in the parish of Belton, by the side of Fritton Lake, and 

 about 4 miles from Yarmouth, in Suffolk ; a spot unrivalled 

 for picturesque scenery, but notorious for vipers, snakes, and 

 slowworms. My attention was led to these reptiles merely 

 with the view of destroying them, a favourite horse of mine 

 having been bitten by a viper whilst grazing on the heath. 



The longest viper I ever killed, and the largest in circum- 

 ference, was of so dark a hue, that the black bands upon its 

 skin could scarcely be perceived. Possibly its size might have 

 depended upon its containing young; but, being only anxious 

 to effect its destruction, I did not trouble myself with any 

 further examination. I remarked that these creatures come 

 from their holes about eleven o'clock, and bask in the sun till 

 two, when they begin to move about. 



On one occasion, I observed a viper travelling in haste 

 along a path near me ; and, though it made a vigorous attempt 

 to get away, I succeeded in killing it. It was of an unusually 

 reddish hue, with very dark bands. Passing by the spot 

 about half an hour afterwards, to my astonishment, I saw 

 three other vipers about the one which I had killed, and one 

 of them in immediate connexion with it. These three I de- 

 stroyed ; and, having the curiosity to return a second time, I 

 found two more vipers, apparently making the same attempt ; 

 and, in about the lapse of an hour, another came. These three 

 shared the same fate as the former, so that I killed seven 

 altogether. The last six, all of which I may naturally pre- 

 sume to have been males, were of a brilliant ash-colour, and 

 the dark bands of a far brighter black than I had ever before 

 seen. Whether these peculiarities depended upon a par- 

 ticular condition of the sexual organs, is a question which I 

 must leave to more competent persons to discuss. If these 

 few lines are worthy of your notice, you can make what use of 

 thern you please. — George TV. Manby. Royal Barracks, 

 Yarmouth, April 10. 1837. 



[The above curious and interesting fact is communicated 

 by the celebrated naval philanthropist, Capt. Manby, F.R.S. 

 — Ed.-] 



On the Swimming of Snakes. — ■ That snakes should swim, 

 is not surprising, consider the extent and character of the 

 lungs in these reptiles. Of elongated form, they are carried 

 throughout, or nearly throughout, the general cavity of the 

 body ; at their commencement, and for a short distance, their 



