14* Mr. Ray to Dr. Robinfon. 



Senfe, cfpecially feeing no Merit of the Obje& could 

 induce you. I cannot but thank you for your great, 

 tho' undeferved (that I fay not ill-placed) Affeftion, 

 which mult needs enkindle an anfwerable Flame of 

 3*eciprocal Love in the Breaft of any Man that hath 

 the leaft Senfe of Gratitude, or Spark of Good Na- 

 ture in him. 



Of EngUJh Serpents^ I never knew, nor heard of 

 above 3 Kinds and tho' one cannot be fure of a Ne^ 

 gative, yet I verily believe there are no more : Thofe 

 &re$ 1. Natrix tforquata^ or the Snake ^ fo called be* 

 caufe it hath a pale yellow Spot, or Streak, on each 

 Side its Neck, tho* not encompaffing it. 



1. Viper or the Adder. I am well afllired that 

 Viper and Adder arc two Names of the fame Species, 

 having taken exa£fc Notice of the Viper beyond Sea, 

 and our Adder at home. The Differences between 

 the Adder and the Snake are, that the former is much 

 fhorter for its Bignefs, efpecially his Tail below the 

 Vent 1 that he is marked on the Back with black 

 Lines or Spots, which the Snake wants 5 that his 

 Belly-is blackiih, and of one Colour - 9 whereas the 

 Snake's is particoloured, of a pale yellow and blue. 

 That the Adder never grows to the Bignefs that I 

 have feen fome Snakes attain to: And laftly, that the 

 Adder is viviparous, as I my felf can teftify, having 

 taken feven young ones out of the Belly of a Female, 

 come to their full Perfe&ion, as big almoft as fome 

 W omen's Little Finger. 



3. Cecilia, the Blind-worm^ or Slow-worm^ which 

 again are, two Names of the fame Sort of Animal. 

 It is much lefs than the Adder, and ftraked with 

 blackifli Lines along the Body. All thefe Kinds are 

 plentifully in my own Fields. 



As for Outhndijh Serpent s y I faw but one Kind be- 

 yond Seas different from ours. Indeed I have fuch a 

 natural Abhorrency of that Sort of Animal, that I 

 was not very inquifitive after them, That I faw was 



bought 



