SERPENTS. 
63 
Turtle. 
The subjoined notes relate to Turtles, the species of which were not 
accurately determined : 
For some months previous to December, 1836, my relative Richard 
Langtry, Esq., kept one of these animals, — supposed to be the “ Snap- 
ping Turtle,” — living m a pond at Fortwilliam, near Belfast. It died on 
the 5th of that month, and on its being lifted out of the water I observed 
several specimens of Limneus pereger stationary upon it. — I examined the 
eggs taken from this turtle, and found about 70, measuring from one-third 
of an inch to one inch and a quarter in diameter, — many of them of this 
latter size. Besides these there were numbers — upwards I should think 
of 200 — smaller, down to the size of pin-heads. 
In the Northern Whig of 12th July, 1849, the following notice appears : 
“ A fine young turtle was caught in the Channel, on Friday, contiguous to 
the city. Cork Constitution .” 
Order Ophidia (Serpents). 
Ireland has ever been free from the presence of Ophidian reptiles. As 
there is no physical obstacle to their being indigenous to the island, it 
can only be said, that as all animals have geographical limits assigned to 
them, so these have Great Britain as their western boundary, within her 
parallel of latitude. Mr. Bell, when about to publish his History of 
British Reptiles, having applied to me for information respecting the 
several species inhabiting Ireland, I supplied him with the following note, 
which he has given in the work just mentioned (p. 54). 
“ In this order ( Ophidia ) there is not now, nor I believe ever was there, any 
species indigenous to Ireland. — In the Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal for 
April, 1835 (vol. xviii. p. 373), it is remarked, ‘ We have learned from good au- 
thority that a recent importation of snakes has been made into Ireland, and that 
at present they are multiplying rapidly within a few miles of the tomb of St. 
Patrick.’ I never heard of this circumstance until it was published, and sub- 
sequently endeavoured to ascertain its truth by inquiring of the persons about 
Downpatrick (where the tomb of St. Patrick is) who are best acquainted with 
these subjects, not one of whom had ever heard of snakes being in the neigh- 
bourhood. — Recollecting that about the year 1831 a snake ( Natrix torquata) 
immediately after being killed at Milecross was brought by some country -people 
in great consternation to my friend Dr. I. L. Drummond, I thought this might 
be one of those alluded to, and recently made inquiry of James Cleland, Esq., of 
Rathgael House, Co. Down, twenty-five miles distant in a direct line from 
Downpatrick, respecting snakes said to have been turned out by him. I was 
favoured by that gentleman with the following satisfactory reply : — ‘ The report 
of my having introduced snakes into this country is correct. Being curious to 
ascertain whether the climate of Ireland was destructive to that class of reptiles, 
about six years ago I purchased half a dozen of them in Covent Garden market 
in London. They had been taken some time and were quite tame and familiar. 
I turned them out in my garden ; they immediately rambled away ; one of 
them was killed at Milecross, three miles distant, in about a week after its liber- 
ation, and three others were shortly afterwards killed within that distance of the 
place where they were turned out ; and it is highly probable that the remaining two 
met with a similar fate, falling victims to a reward which it appears was offered 
for their destruction.’ ” 
In reference to the above communication Mr. Bell remarks : — 
