SEVERN PROVINCE. 297 
been in the woods, and averaged about 18 inches 
long, though I have seen larger ones. They were 
nearly always in old ‘coal-plains, or places where 
charcoal had been made, and invariably on high 
eround, IT have had dogs bitten by adders in 
October when shooting, but never knew an adder 
attack anything unless trodden on or startled. I 
surprised one once lying curled up on a ‘ride’ at 
Credenhill Park, and this one struck at me. I 
killed the adder 
a very long one. The reptile had 
apparently just killed a shrew as I came upon it.” 
John P. Brown, Hampton Park, Hereford. 
“T have never seen 7vopidonotus natrix in the 
county, but it oecurs at Whitchurch, Fownhope, 
Stoke Edith, Cradley, and other places. One caught 
at Clapham some years ago, which measured 5} feet 
(Mr J. J. Walker, TLN., of Sheerness, being my 
authority), is the largest I ever heard of. About 
thirty years ago adders used to swarm in what was 
then a young larch plantation on the Croft side of 
Bircher Common.”’—Extract from a paper on British 
Suakes, Woolhope Club Transactions, 1898-99, by 
Mr T. Hutchinson, Hon. Sec. 
Worcestershire. 
5 
“The ring snake is commonly distributed all over 
the county, and has an average length of about 3 
feet. The adder is more local in its occurrence, 
being very common in Wyre Forest, where I fre- 
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