British Snakes 



55 



The medical adviser who had been summoned, arrived in 

 hot haste with a big volume under his arm, in order to make 

 reference to "snake-bite" and its treatment. It was, how- 

 ever, too late to do anything more than give stimulants, and 

 happily these were successful. A fortnight's illness ensued, 

 during the early part of which the whole arm was enormously 

 swollen, and later partly covered with boils. 



This case affords, we believe, a very fair example of what 

 usually follows the incautious capture of the English adder. 

 The reptile does not attack willingly, but only after much 

 provocation, and he cannot, as a rule, destroy the life of his 

 human enemy. His poison fangs are designed for other 

 purposes, and for much smaller animals. 



Within the last few weeks a case at Folkestone has 

 attracted much attention, in which two school-boys in pur- 

 suit of what is called " Nature Study," were bitten by a 

 viper, with the result that one of them died. Several other 

 well-authenticated instances of death have been recorded. 

 We repeat, however, that they are very rare. 



The early summer is the best time for killing vipers, since 

 the males, which at other seasons hide themselves, may now 

 often be found. Warm heaths and banks exposed to the 

 sun are the places which they frequent. The common snake,, 

 on the other hand, loves water, or may be found in a hay- 

 field or near an old barn or on a dung-heap. The snake lays 

 eggs and leaves them to be hatched by the heat of the dung or 

 the rays of the sun, taking no care whatever for her progeny. 

 The viper, on the contrary, brings forth her young alive and 

 tends them carefully, even allowing them, according to fairly 

 well-accredited narratives, to retreat in case of danger into her 

 mouth and gullet. 



The first aid in case of viper-bite should consist in placing 

 a tight ligature (string or a boot-lace) around the limb above 

 the punctures. This should be as tight as possible so as to 

 prevent the circulation of the blood and passage of the venom 

 towards the heart. Next, incisions should be made across 



