ile of the serpent kind in these kingdoms, and that is the viper. As
you propose the good of mankind to be an object of your publications you
will not omit to mention common salad-oil as sovereign remedy against the
bite of the viper. A to the blind worm (_anguis fragilis_, so-called
because it snaps in sunder with a small blow), I have found, on
examination, that it is perfectly innocuous. A neighbouring yeoman (to
whom I am indebted for some good hints) killed and opened a female viper
about the 27th May: he found her filled with a chain of eleven eggs,
about the size of those of a blackbird; but none of them were advanced so
far towards a state of maturity as to contain any rudiments of young.
Though they are oviparous, yet they are viviparous also, hatching their
young within their bellies, and then bringing them forth. Whereas snakes
lay chains of eggs every summer in my melon beds, in spite of all that my
people can do to prevent them; which eggs do not hatch till the spring
following, as I have often experienced. Several intelligent folks assure
me that they have seen the viper open her mouth and admit her helpless
young down her throat on sudden surprises, just as the female opossum
does her brood into the pouch under her belly, upon the like emergencies;
and yet the London viper-catchers insist on it, to Mr. Barrington, that
no such thing ever happens. The serpent kind eat, I believe, but once in
a year; or rather, but only just at one season of the year. Country
people talk much of a water-snake, but, I am pretty sure, without any
reason; for the common snake (_coluber natrix_) delights much to sport in
the water, perhaps with a view to procure frogs and other food.

I cannot well guess how you are to make out your twelve species of
reptiles, unless it be by the various species, or rather varieties, of
our _lacerti_, of which Ray enumerates five. I have not had opportunity
of ascertaining these; but remember well to have seen formerly several
beautiful green _lacerti_ on the sunny sandbanks near Farnham, in Surrey;
and Ray admits there are such in Ireland.

LETTER XVIII.

SELBORNE, _July 27th_, 1768.

Dear Sir,--I received your obliging and communicative letter of June
28th, while I was on a visit at a gentleman's house, where I had neither
books to turn to nor leisure to sit down, to return you an answer to many
queries, which I wanted to resolve i