Surrey Zoological Garden. 219 
An Adder being slow in motion, if it be disturbed, ascends bushes for 
its security, A Snake, which is swifter, runs up banks, &c. In the 
spring of the year, the latter animal is often seen occupying a Blackbird’s 
or other nest, but mostly the former. 
The female Adder suffers her youpg to run down her throat for pro¬ 
tection on the appearance of danger. If when thus protected her head 
be trodden on, then they run through her; but if both her head and 
tail be trodden on, the young ones try to extricate themselves in an ex¬ 
traordinarily agitated manner. It is said by some persons that the 
female Adder is eventually killed by her young ones so often seeking her 
protection. An Adder is to be compared to a v/hip, as it cannot reach 
any object at which it may strike, beyond its length, and consequently 
very little danger is to be apprehended from this venemous reptile. 
In the mild January of 1827 a Snake and Adder were both killed 
while basking in the sun. 
A brickmaker once had the cruelty to throw a snake into a burning 
kiln, where he saw it descend into the interstices of the bricks, and he 
imagined it was consumed. (I believe that the top bricks of a burning 
kiln are never red hot.) When afterwards the workmen were going to 
empty the kiln, the snake lay there on the top of the bricks, coiled up, 
and apparently enjoying its berth. Serpents are represented as occupy¬ 
ing “the bottomless abyss,” perhaps from their power of resisting heat, 
of which this instance affords an example. ’ 
Yours, &c. 
August 30^A, 1831. ■ X. 
Article IV .—Remarks on the Surrey Zoological Garden, 
established by Mr. Gross. 
That a Second institution of this kind, should be established in our own 
immense metropolis, does not create our surprise, after witnessing the 
success which has attended that of the Regent’s-Park; but we confess 
that we were astonished to find any individual bold enough to enter the 
field, single-handed, against so powerful and influencial a Company. 
Mr. Cross, the well-known keeper of the Menagerie at Exeter-Change, 
and the King’s-Mews, has so severely felt the loss of attraction, since the 
establishment of the Zoological Society, that he has been compelled to 
remove his Collection from a room to a Garden, and from his knowledge 
of the care of animals, and possessing so fine a collection, he is perhaps, 
the only person who could contend against the chartered Society. He 
has selected a site, very judiciously, on the Surrey side of the river; and 
we sincerely hope that his expectations of success, may be realized, and 
that the public may be benefited, by the stimulus that one institution 
will give to the other.—Science will be benefited, and tlie study of Zo¬ 
ology increased, by this new establislnnent,—which must, however, have 
powerful attractions, to divide public patronage with its comnetitor. 
