1903 Our Common Wild Birds 217 



slightly raised. In rough heathery ground it moves fairly 

 rapidly, but on open gravel or sand it appears almost 

 helpless, groping vainly for some holdfast for its tail. The 

 latter organ appears to be peculiarly sensitive, for although 

 this specimen does not in the least resent handling, it in- 

 variably moves off rapidly when its tail is touched. Its 

 habit of hanging on by the tail is illustrated in one of the 

 photographs that have been taken of it. 



The snake has only bitten me twice, though frequently 

 handled, — in each case merely a gentle pinch. The teeth 

 do not appear large enough to draw blood. When given 

 small frogs, bluebottle flies, and bees, it took no notice 

 whatever, but seemed interested in a small lizard, which, 

 however, it ate only after they had been two days to- 

 gether. 



The Coronella always strikes sideways, bending its neck 

 at almost a right angle. The introduction of a large lizard 

 led to a fight, the lizard seizing the smooth snake by the 

 lower jaw ; but after a long tussle the snake succeeded in 

 swallowing the lizard as far as the tail, only to reject the 

 lizard later, apparently none the worse. 



The smooth snake is at present sloughing. The pro- 

 cess began at the eye scale, then some three days later the 

 belly scales began to peel off irregularly. 



[We hope to reproduce the most interesting photographs 

 sent by Mr. Blundell in a future issue. The reoccurrence 

 of the smooth snake in Berks is an event of great interest 



to zoologists. — Ed. F. N. Q.] 



Our Common Wild Birds, and How to know 

 Them: An Attempt to help the Young 

 Ornithologist. 



By \V. Gyngell, Scarborough Field Naturalist? Society. 



Till': experienced ornithologist readily identifies the com- 

 moner birds which he sees in the woods or fields, by the 

 riverside or the seashore : this one by its size, colour, and 



