CHAPTER XXXI. 



Reptilia {Reptiles). 

 Continued. 



There may often be seen on sunny banks in summer, 

 basking in the genial beam of noon, a little Reptile, well 

 known under the appellations of Blind- worm and Slow- 

 worm. As it lies motionless, you might almost fancy it a 

 foot's length of thick iron wire, slightly polished, for it is 

 almost equal in thickness in every part, and its surface 

 gleams with a metallic lustre in the bright sun. Here is 

 the village apothecary coming up the lane, poring over a 

 book with spectacles on nose ; let us ask him if he can tell 

 us anything about it. " Oh } T es ! it is the Anguis fragilis of 

 Linnaeus!" and he passes on. Oh! the Brittle Snake! for 

 such is the English of those two Latin words. 



But here is Hodge the hedger : perhaps from his occu- 

 pation he may have some acquaintance with the bit of 

 dingy wire : what say you, Hodge ? "'Tis a Zneak !" and 

 he makes a spiteful blow with his stick across the back of 

 the poor animal, with the apologetic asseveration, " 'Tis a 

 deadly pizon varmin !" But see, the blow has effectually 

 demolished it, and that in a strange manner; for, as if it 

 had been made of glass, it has snapped across in four or 



