THE SMOOTH SNAKE. 55 



whether the specimen was not an immature one of 

 the common species.* As the specimen is not in 

 existence, it cannot be positively affirmed what it 

 was ; but, from the description, there is reason to 

 believe it was really the first recorded capture of the 

 snake whose name stands at the head of this chap- 

 ter. " It was about three or four inches in length, 

 of a pale-brown colour, with pairs of reddish-brown 

 stripes from side to side, over the back, somewhat 

 zig-zag, with intervening spots on the sides. The 

 abdominal plates were 162, those under the tail 

 about 80. The most remarkable peculiarity 

 mentioned, however, is, that the scales are extremely 

 simple, not carinated." 



Towards the close of 1859 the Hon. Arthur 

 Russell sent to the British Museum a female speci- 

 men of the Smooth Snake (plate 4), which was taken 

 by a resident near the flagstaff at Bournemouth, 

 Hampshire, and Dr. Gray communicated a notice of 

 the fact to the Zoologist (p. 6731). Supplementary 

 to this notice, the editor added a description of the 

 reptile from Lord Clermont's work. In the next 

 number a communication appeared from Mr. 

 Frederick Bond, in which he stated : — " I captured 

 a specimen of the new British snake five or six years 

 ago, in June, near Ringwood, Hants. I thought at 



* Beli's " Reptiles," 2nd ed., p. GO. 



