21 June 1918 No doubt the viper is useful to the farmer, but it is also a danger to his children, his dogs, and even his sheep Amongst the heather stems and grass I found the cast skins or sloughs of two harmless ring snakes. They were not lying on the grass, but were firmly jammed between the stiff bents; indeed, it was not possible to release them without injury, though as they lay there each transparent scale showed distinctly; except at the head, the skin was perfect. "Cast" skin sounds as if the reptile, weary of its old and dingy garment, had thrown it off as we throw off our clothes. Really it had struggled through the tightest squeezes it could find, emerging finally in bright and gleaming mail, leaving behind the discarded slough, like a long, empty glove-finger. Related: An adder stirs, a brawny cable charged by the sun Continue reading...
Deciding the viper's fate: country diary archive, 21 June 1918
18. června 2018 7:31
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Celý článek: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jun/18/country-diary-1918-deciding-vipers-fate-1918
Zdroj: The Guardian