INTRODUCTION. 15 



In alluding to the " venom toad " as " mark'd by the 

 destinies to be avoided," Shakespeare probably only treated 

 it as other writers had done before him, and, without any 

 personal investigation of the matter, ranked it with the 

 viper and other poisonous reptiles, when in fact it is per- 

 fectly harmless. 



The habit which the snake has, in common with other 

 reptiles, of periodically casting its skin or slough, is fre- 

 quently alluded to in the Plays, where that covering is 

 sometimes called " the enamell'd skin " (Midsummer 

 Night's Dream, Act ii. Sc. i) ; at other times the " casted 

 slough " (Henry V. Act iv. Sc. i, and Twelfth Night, 

 Act iii. Sc. 4) ; and the " shining checker'd slough " 

 (Henry VI. Part II. Act iii. Sc. 1). 



It is difficult to say why the Adder is supposed to be 

 deaf, unless because it has no visible ears — but then the 

 term would apply to other reptiles. Shakespeare has 

 several times alluded to this. In the Second Part of King 

 Henry VI. Act iii. Sc. 2, Queen Margaret asks the 

 King,— 



" What, art thou, like the adder, waxen deaf?" 



And in Troilus and Cressida, Act ii. Sc. 2, Hector 

 says to Paris and Troilus, — 



" Pleasure and revenge 

 Have ears more deaf than adders to the voice 

 Of any true decision." 



