250 



that'; 



S IT ; 



of an oak with a velocity that 

 eludes the sight. 



As their food is not to be obtained throughout 

 the year, they lay up hoards of nuts and grain 

 against the winter, and so Veil do they remem- 

 ber where these deposits are made, that they 

 have no difficulty in finding them even when 

 deeply covered with snow. To these they 

 occasionally resort when the weather is fine, to 

 feed, and then returning to their nest or drey, as 

 it is called, and which is usually but a short 

 distance, fall asleep, and continue till awakened 

 by the calls of hunger ; they, cannot, therefore, 

 be said to hybernate completely. They build 

 their nests in the holes of trees, or in the forks of 

 their branches, and the nest consists of sticks 

 and moss laid together and lined with fur, which 

 the female pulls from her breast when about to 

 bring forth her young. They are extremely 

 prolific when undisturbed, and commit great 

 ravages in the fields ; this was, and still is the 

 case in America and India, where the country is 

 not so thickly inhabited. Goodman mentions, 

 that in the United States, they, in some seasons, 

 migrate in large bodies from one district to 

 another, and are not stopped in their course, 

 although great numbers are destroyed by beasts 

 and birds of prey, and in crossing the rivers.* 



It is fortunate that in Great 

 Britain, the pedestrian in the 

 woods is likely to encounter only 

 one poisonous viper, 19, and that 



19 



652. 



not a very daring or intruding 

 one. The common adder is the 

 only venomous reptile in Great 

 Britain ; but in America, and 

 other parts of the world, there 

 are many and more formidable 

 venomous creatures. 



The Rev. J. G. Wood says : "I may as well 

 put in one word of favour for the viper. It is 

 not a malignant creature, nor does it seek after 

 victims ; but it is as timid as any creature in 

 existence, slipping away at the sound of a foot- 

 step, and only using its fangs if trodden on 

 accidentally, or when intentionally assaulted. 

 Poisonous snakes may be readily known by the 

 shape of their head and neck ; the head being 

 very wide at the back, and the neck compara- 

 tively small. Some persons compare the head 

 of a poisonous snake to the ace of spades, which 

 comparison, although rather exaggerated, gives 

 a good idea of the poison-bearing head.* 



But there is another distinction 

 between the English viper and 

 the 7io n -venomous snake, 20. The 

 adder, 19, is distinguished by a 



20 



653. 



zig-zag marking, which passes 

 along the whole length of its 

 back ; but the marking of the 

 snake is very different ; it is 

 dotted all over with small spots, 

 assuming in parts the appearance 

 of rings. In the young animals, 

 these distinctions are not so 

 marked, and it is well to avoid 

 being tempted by curiosity to 

 handle them, young adders being 

 poisonous. 



Open copses, dry heaths, newly- 

 cleared woodlands, and sandy 

 wastes, are the usual haunts of 

 the viper, which in winter is 



* Encyclopaedia Metropolitan*. 



* Common Objects of the Country . 



