Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 6 (1902).djvu/338

284 of a very common animal. Here is an extract from the same essay, which is very curious:—

Eph.—I saw once a very large and charming green Lizard fighting with a Serpent, at the entrance of a hole; I wondered at first what was the Meaning of it, for I could not see the Serpent; an Italien told me that the Serpent was within; by and by the Lizard comes to us, as it were showing us her Wounds, and begging a Remedy, and did not only suffer herself to be touch'd, but as often as we stood still she stood still, viewing us very earnestly. The Serpent had almost gnawed away one of her sides, and of green had made it red.

Joh.—Had I been there, I should have had a Mind to avenge the Lizard's Quarrel.

Eph.—But her Enemy had hid herself at the bottom of the Hole: But some Days after we had the Pleasure to see her revenge herself.

Joh.—I am glad at my Heart; but prithee how was it?

Eph.—We happened to be walking near the same Place, and the Serpent had been drinking at a spring hard by, for it was so violent hot Weather, that we were like to perish with Thirst. A Boy of about thirteen Years old, the Man's Son where we lodg'd, having fled from Bononia for Fear of the Pestilence, happen'd very luckily to come by, with a Hay-Rake upon his Shoulder; as soon as he saw the Serpent he cries out.

Joh.—Perhaps for Fear.

Eph.—No, for joy, rejoicing that he had found the Enemy. The Boy strikes him with the Rake, the Serpent rolls himself up; but he laid on, till having broke his Head, the Serpent stretched himself out, which they never do, but when they are dying; that's the Reason that you have heard the Apologist, concerning a Crab-Fish, who killing a Serpent that was his Enemy, when he saw him stretch'd out, says thus, You ought to have gone so when you were alive.

We have here a statement about a dying serpent (Adder) that is very suggestive. Whether the "stretching out" action is purely a muscular one, or one due to conscious volition—on the "feigning death" principle—I am not prepared to say; but this I do know, that some Adders act in that way if violently struck on the head. A good many years ago, when walking across Arran from Brodick to Loch Ranza, I and two friends (both still alive) encountered many Adders sunning themselves on the roads and roadsides, the weather being extremely hot. Several of these I "poked up" gently with my stick, and pitched into