~T 
BRITISH SERPENTS. 
sloughs, | have rarely come across a whole one. My 
own conclusion is, that in the wild state the casting 
of the slough whole or entire is largely a matter of 
accident. 
A very favourite method of divesting itself of the 
slough in the case of the ring snake is to climb into 
a shrub about a foot or so from the ground. The 
blackthorn is much used in this way where it grows. 
Wedging itself between two branches, the snake then 
begins a process of wriggling, and in a few minutes the 
east slough is left hanging in the shrub. 
The east sloughs of both the adder and ring snake 
are held in considerable veneration in the rustic mind, 
and are credited with various powers of healing. The 
particular power ascribed to them varies in different 
localities. Thus the sloughs are believed to have the 
power of drawing out thorns from the flesh if worn 
over the point of puncture; of curing rheumatism if 
worn as a garter round the knee; of preventing sun- 
stroke and curing headache if put on round the head. 
The young of the adder cast their first slough in 
the embryo, which can be seen in an illustration in 
the chapter on the development of that species. 
