SOUTH WALES PROVINCE, 305 
viper or adder especially) exists. The common viper 
appears to me to have a peculiar hking for the soil 
of the ironstone measures, the common ring snake 
being more widely dispersed over coal-beds adjoining. 
“A specimen of the common English snake killed 
at an old disused lead-mine at Gwernefa, near Llan- 
trisant, measured 5 fect 10 inches, and was the largest 
English snake I have ever seen. 
“T mention this particular one to show that the 
ring snake does not travel far from its place of birth 
—the snake had been seen for several years near the 
same place previous to its beine killed. The date 
was the 10th of March 1885, the weather being fine 
and bright, with occasional heavy snow-showers. On 
the same morning two companions and myself killed 
over eighty common snakes and adders, including 
three of the small red viper, or, as it is locally known, 
the blood adder. 
“T have seen eight adders killed on the 8th of 
February in different parts of the bank in one par- 
ticular field, but no ring snakes were seen on that 
morning. 
“This would tend to show that the viper feeds 
earlier in the season than the ring snake. The former 
must also feed very rapidly after being aroused from 
a torpid state, for I have seen them in the month 
of May very plump and fat, and having every appear- 
ance of being well fed, whereas when first seen early 
in the season they appear very lean and whip-like. 
U 
