MERSEY PROVINCE, 
ew 
bo 
aT 
Lancashire and Cheshire. 
“The ring snake occurs occasionally about Whit- 
tingham, near Preston, but is not so frequent as 
formerly. I have not seen one over 22 inches long. 
Its local name is ‘lang worm’ (long worm). It also 
occurs on Hale Moss, near Bowdon. 
“The adder is common on Chat Moss; near Patri- 
eroft (where I have frequently seen them bask- 
ing at the foot of the railway banks); not infrequent 
ou the peaty heath-covered tops of the Fells; Bleas- 
dale Forest; Parlic Pike; Fairsnape, &ec. The aver- 
ave leneth of those 1 have seen in North Lancashire 
would be about 13 inches. Since the introduction of 
mowing-machines the ring snake and the slow-worm 
have much decreased in numbers, and I have many 
times seen them—especially the latter—snipped to 
pieces in the machine.” —R. Standen, Manchester 
Museum, Owens College, Manchester. 
Note-—A farmer in Monmouthshire told me that 
he had cut up three adders in this way in mowing 
one field of hay this summer (1900).—Anthor. 
