In Sir James Long’s parke at Draycot-Cerne are grey lizards; and no question in other places if they were look’t after; but people take them for newts. They are of that family. About anno 1686 a boy lyeing asleep in a garden felt something dart down his throat, which killed him: ’tis probable ’twas a little newt. They are exceeding nimble: they call them swifts at Newmarket Heath. When I was a boy a young fellow slept on the grasse: after he awak’t, happening to putt his hand in his pocket, something bitt him by the top of his finger: he shak’t it suddenly off so that he could not perfectly discerne it. The biteing was so venomous that it overcame all help, and he died in a few hours:- “Virus edax superabat opera: penituaq{ue} receptum Ossibus, et toto corpore pestis erat.”—OVID. FASTOR. Sir George Ent, M.D. had a tenant neer Cambridge that was stung with an adder. He happened not to dye, but was spotted all over. One at Knahill in Wilts, a neighbour of Dr. Wren’s, was stung, and it turned to a leprosy. (From Sr. Chr. Wren.) At Neston Parke (Col. W. Eire’s) in Cosham parish are huge snakes, an ell long; and about the Devises snakes doe abound. Toades are plentifull in North Wiltshire: but few in the chalkie countreys. In sawing of an ash 2 foot + square, of Mr. Saintlowe’s, at Knighton in Chalke parish, was found a live toade about 1656; the sawe cutt him asunder, and the bloud came on the under-sawyer’s hand: he thought at first the upper-sawyer had cutt his hand. Toades are oftentimes found in the milstones of Darbyshire. Snailes are everywhere; but upon our downes, and so in Dorset, and I believe in Hampshire, at such degree east and west, in the summer time are abundance of very small snailes on the grasse and come, not much bigger, or no bigger than small pinnes heads. Though this is no strange thing among us, yet they are not to be found in the north part of Wilts, nor on any northern wolds. When I had the honour to waite on King Charles I.* and the Duke of York to the top of Silbury hill, his Royal Highnesse happened to cast his eye on some of these small snailes on the turfe of the hill. He was surprised with the novelty, and commanded me to pick some up, which I did, about a dozen or more, immediately; for they are in great abundance. The next morning as he was abed with his Dutches at Bath he told her of it, and sent Dr. Charleton to me for them, to shew her as a rarity. * [This should be “Charles II.” who visited Avebury and Silbury Hill, in company with his brother, afterwards James II., in the autumn of the year 1663, when Aubrey attended them by the King’s command. See his account of the royal visit, in the Memoir of Aubrey, 4to. 1845.—J. B.]