Records of Woodhall Spa and Neighbourhood: Historical, Anecdotal, Physiographical, and Archaeological, with Other MatterWalter, J. Conway (James Conway)
History
Records of Woodhall Spa and Neighbourhood: Historical, Anecdotal, Physiographical, and Archaeological, with Other Matter
Walter, J. Conway (James Conway)
Woodhall Spa (England)
Walking along the path through the wood, from the cross roads, near St.
Andrew’s Church, towards the Victoria Hotel, the writer, on one occasion,
observed a lady poking with her parasol at some object lying on the
ground close to her feet. On coming to the spot he found that she was
playing with an adder, which had crossed her path, apparently quite
innocent of the danger she was incurring, the serpent still, evidently,
having some attractive power for this, too curious daughter of Eve. He
at once, by a blow on the head with his walking stick, despatched it, and
then explained to her that it was lucky for her that it had not bitten
her on the ankle. The adder or viper (Vipera Berus) is, fortunately, not
common about Woodhall, but it exists there, and may be seen at times,
basking on a sunny bank, or lying among the dead and dry foliage near a
path, or on the open heath, where the unwary pedestrian is liable to
tread upon it. It is the more dangerous because it is apt to vary in
colour, according to the locality which it frequents, and therefore is
the less easily observed. The colour is always some shade of brown, from
a dull yellow to an olive tint; but it may be specially known by the
zigzag, black markings along the back, and its broad head, with V-shaped
mark in the centre. Its length is from a foot to a foot-and-a-half,
although specimens have been killed as long as four feet. (“Naturalist,”
1895, p. 206.) The female is larger than the male. Its bite is made
with great rapidity, so that there is little opportunity to escape it.
The poison is very virulent, and we are told that in some cases it has
proved fatal, but that was probably in the case of a naturally
inflammatory subject. The writer has killed several at different times,
on the Moor, near Woodhall. On one occasion, on a hot day in September,
when a friend was shooting with him, the dog of the friend was bitten.
It immediately howled, and seemed to be in considerable pain. He was in
time to see the adder and to kill it. He then hurried off with the dog
and caught a train to Horncastle, where a dose of Eau de Luce was
administered, and the dog recovered. Olive oil, also, well rubbed into
the bitten part, is said to be an effective remedy, and is often more
easily obtainable. Another variety of snake found here is what is
commonly called the “slow worm” or “blind worm” (Anguis fragilis), which
is generally seen in moist meadow ground. It is from 10 to 16 inches in
length, and quite harmless. Strictly speaking, it is a lizard, not a
snake. The only other kind is the common grass snake (coluber natrix).
This is fairly common. The writer has seen three linked together, lying
on a bank in Kirkby-lane, a favourite walk near Woodhall. If taken
unawares, without time to escape, it will hiss and make a show of fight,
but it is perfectly harmless and defenceless, and usually endeavours to
escape as quickly as possible, and will bury itself in the long grass,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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