42 BRITISH SERPENTS. 



as there was a rumour that some of the boys had 

 snakes in boxes in their tents, that probably the 

 specimen taken here escaped from some of the boys 

 the previous summer. It may even have been this 

 year, as the camp was here again, but I did not 

 hear of any of the boys having snakes there this 

 year." 



The two snakes were thus evidently about the 

 same age, and might have come from the same lot 

 of eggs. Sir Eobert Hodson inclines to the first 

 explanation given above, while Dr Thompson rather 

 suspects the schoolboys of being guilty of this ophid- 

 ian conundrum. Both views are quite feasible, and 

 one could not decide the question without further 

 evidence. 



