1 6 INTRODUCTION. 



Again, in Sonnet CXIL, "the adder's sense" is referred 

 to in such a way as to leave no doubt of the poet's 

 impression that adders do not hear. 



" Caliban. Sometime am I 



All wound'with adders, who, with cloven tongues 

 Do hiss me into madness." 



Tempest, Act ii. Sc. 2. 



The " eyeless venom'd worm " referred to in Timon of 

 Athens, Act iv. Sc. 3, is of course the Slow-worm (A?iguis 

 fragilis). 



The observant naturalist must doubtless have remarked 

 the partiality evinced by snakes and other reptiles for 

 basking in the sun. Shakespeare has noticed that — 



" The snake lies rolled in the cheerful sun." 



Titus Andronicus, Act ii. Sc. 3. 

 And— 



" It is the bright day that brings forth the adder ; 

 And that craves wary walking." 



Julius Ccesar, Act ii. Sc. 1. 



In Macbeth, Act iii. Sc. 2, allusion is made to the won- 

 derful vitality which snakes possess, and to the popular 

 notion that they are enabled, when cut in two, to reunite 

 the dissevered portions and recover : — 



" We have scotch'd the snake, not kill'd it ; 

 She'll close and be herself." 



