306 BRITISH SERPENTS. 
Again, with regard to the adder, T have followed 
the young vipers, and have more than once seen 
them disappear when 5 or 6 inches long down the 
throat of the parent adder. When the young are in 
danger the parent sets up a loud hissing, which at- 
tracts the young, who seek refuge in the manner 
before stated. I speak from actual experience. I 
know the point is much discussed by naturalists, but 
I have seen the mother adder killed with the young 
alive in her pouch or throat to the number of four. 
“1. The most common snake would appear to be the 
ring snake. 
“2. The averave leneth of the adder would be 1 
foot 8 inches. 
“3. The red viper occurs, but is very rare. I have 
seen some twenty or thirty specimens from Bridgend 
on the east to Pentyrch on the west of the county. 
“dT have known two instances of snake-bite, 
neither of which was fatal. The viper’s bite is very 
poisonous. One of the injured was a child, aged eight 
or nine years, Intten on the heel whilst bathing. The 
other was an adult, bitten on the hand whilst fencing. 
Both were ill for several weeks, but the bite did not 
appear to have any particular after-effects; and I 
believe that, unless a person’s constitution were in 
a very bad or weak state, the bite of the English 
adder or viper is seldom fatal. 
“T have seen several small terriers and sheep-dogs 
bitten by adders, but have never known a dog to die 
