THE RING SNAKE. 13 



just by the drive on the opposite side. It was a most 

 beautifully marked specimen, and I have it now in my 

 collection, sole representative of its species as far as 

 this valley is concerned. No doubt it had been 

 brought to the Court in a load of something, as I am 

 quite satisfied that these ring snakes do not breed 

 in this locality. If they did they would be far more 

 common. A more extreme instance of the same kind 

 of thing is reported from Ireland in ' Country Life ' 

 (November 3, 1900), to which reference will be made 

 later on. 



This reptile is by far the most common snake in 

 Europe, being found in almost every country — -in vary- 

 ing numbers, of course, according to the climate. 

 Thus it does not occur in the most northerly portions 

 of Russia ; while it is present in the island of Sicily. 



Description. — Nothing to my mind is more diffi- 

 cult than to describe colours and shades, especially 

 those of animals. The personal conceptions of in- 

 dividuals are so different in the matter of colours. 

 Still the attempt must be made; but a careful inspec- 

 tion of a specimen will convey more than any amount 

 of printed description. What strikes the observer at 

 once on looking at a ring snake is the brilliant yellow 

 or orange collar, divided in the middle line on the 

 back of the neck by a narrow dark line. Immediately 

 behind this collar is an incomplete dark - brown or 

 black patch, the incomplete part being on the ventral 

 surface. This dark band is much wider on the sides 



