66o 
PRESIDENT S ADDRESS. 
gives February 25th as his earliest date for hearing them 
croak, and February 28th as the earliest for having seen their 
spawn, with March 22nd as his latest date during twenty-five 
years' observation. Markwick, in his earliest and latest 
notes on both events, puts the croaking at an average of 
about three weeks after the spawning. 
There are one or two colonies of Natterjack or running 
Toads in Ruston, but I have not heard of the Edible Frog 
being found here, although it has been taken in the adjoining 
parish of Brunstead. All three species of Newts occur, and 
also the Slow Worm and Sand Lizard. Vipers abound, and 
are chiefly to be seen, whilst sunning themselves, in the early 
spring, before vegetation has grown sufficiently to conceal 
them. The flickering of the bifurcated tongue of the anxious 
mother probably deceives as well as attracts the attention of 
the casual onlooker whilst the scuttling Viperlings are 
secreting themselves amongst the adjacent herbage ; and 
this constant action of the disturbed parent may account for 
the theory of her protectively swallowing her young when 
danger threatens them. That new born Vipers are well 
able to look after their own interests the following tale will 
prove : A few years ago I was walking with several other 
members of the Eastern Sewers Commission, across Horsey 
warren, when one of our party suddenly threw up his arms 
and cried out : “ A Snake, a Snake!” I sought around, and 
soon discovered a large gravid Viper, which I killed and 
commenced to dissect on the spot, soon liberating several 
young ones, which were sufficiently well developed and 
lively to strike so maliciously at my shut-knife, that the 
bystanders cautiously cried out: “Mind they don’t bite you.” 
Cats seem to attack vipers without receiving hurt. I have 
heard of them bringing Vipers into Ruston cottages. 
R. Vincent, defendant in the late Hickling Broad case, will 
pick up a Viper by its tail, quickly flip it whip fashion, and 
so disjoint the vertebra at the neck, that the head flies off 
