SLOW WORMS 183 
mined to hold my specimen by the neck, coiling its 
body round my arm, and to carry it home that way. 
I intended to produce it at supper-time, when I 
hoped to put my sisters into a state of consternation. 
However, I had not walked very far when the beastly 
reptile exuded a stench on to my coat sleeve that 
made me drop him in an instant. Such an inde- 
seribable stench it was ; I had to wash my sleeve as 
well as I could in a stream, but I was not able to 
get entirely rid of the smell until I could get the use 
of soap and soda. Ring Snakes have some glands 
in their bodies from which they can exude a stinking 
fluid when roughly handled. Perhaps that power 
is a protection to their kind. I cannot imagine any 
animal or man desiring to retain hold of a Ring Snake 
in spite of the smell. 
As I have said, I have seen Adders on the hill, 
but I have not found any Ring Snakes in this dis- 
trict. What are known as “Slow” or “ Blind 
Worms ”’ are common. They, however, are not 
snakes ; indeed, to be correct, they are legless lizards, 
which do not as a rulegrow more than twelve inches 
long. Why this reptile should have been called 
“slow” or “ blind’ I cannot understand. It can 
move quickly enough when it wants to get out of 
danger ; it will sometimes even leave its tail in your 
hand if you happen to have caught it by that 
appendage! Surely a convenient way of escape, 
but an example we could not easily follow! We 
are reminded of the Brittle-stars (p. 60), which will 
leave parts of themselves in their enemies hands, 
arms, or mouths, and make good their escape. 
And the reptile is not blind, although its bright eyes 
bs 
. 
