Remarks on the Habits of the Snake. 470 



rious substances immersed in water; for instance, on the reeds 

 and other water plants on the banks of the Thames, when the 

 tide is up. During the winter months the animal forms an 

 epiphragm, of nearly the same consistence as its shell. When 

 dead shells are examined, the beautiful colour and transpa- 

 rency will be found to be entirely destroyed. 



It is this species, according to Mr. Dikes, of Hull, in Mag. 

 Nat. Hist, that is the food of the bearded titmouse. He ex- 

 amined three specimens of this bird, and found the crop of 

 each to be filled with Sue. amphibia and Pupa muscorum. 

 He states that although the crop of one of them was not 

 larger than a hasel nut, it contained twenty of this species, 

 singularly packed together, and four of Pupa muscorum ; the 

 shells of all being perfectly uninjured. I cannot help think- 

 ing that the twenty species must have been those of the vari- 

 ety minor of Draparnaud. 



Art. V. Some Remarks on the Habits of the Common Snake, (Co- 

 luber Natrix of Linn.). By Dr. W. B. Clarke. 



Thinking that a few remarks respecting the habits of the 

 common snake may prove interesting to some of the general 

 readers of your Magazine, I venture to send the following, 

 requesting you to give them insertion, if you deem them wor- 

 thy to occupy a place in your interesting publication. 



On a very fine day in June, 1837, whilst walking near the 

 outskirt of a wood in the neighbourhood of this town, I ob- 

 served a very fine snake reposing at the base of a sand bank, 

 evidently eujoying itself under the influence of the rays of a 

 nearly meridian sun. Upon my approaching it more nearly, 

 it became alarmed, and endeavoured to make off by ascend- 

 ing the bank near which it was lying. This it accomplished 

 with some difficulty, for, from the swollen appearance of the 

 body in the region of the stomach, it was evident that it had 

 swallowed some animal of considerable size ; and the side of 

 the bank, being perpendicular in its lower part for a height 

 nearly equalling two thirds of the animal's length, presented 

 a considerable barrier to its escape. On surmounting this 

 perpendicular part, which it effected by a zigzag disposition 

 of the anterior three fourths of the body, it gained the accli- 

 vity, and glided along the ascent among the grass, until it 

 reached a blackthorn bush, the branches of which were ex- 

 tremely numerous, the lowermost spreading on the ground so 

 as closely to cover a space of three or four feet in circumfe- 



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