﻿PREFACE 



THERE is no work in the English language 

 dealing with the Reptiles of Europe. I have 

 therefore endeavoured to supply this desideratum, so 

 far as the Snakes are concerned, by drawing up in a 

 concise form an account of what is known of their 

 characters, their distribution, and their life-histories. 

 Professor Sordelli, of Milan, having kindly acceded 

 to my request to reproduce some of the beautiful 

 figures drawn by him for the work published in 

 collaboration with the late Professor Jan under the 

 title of" Iconographie G^nerale des Ophidiens," I have 

 been able to supplement my descriptions with illus- 

 trations which leave nothing to be desired from the 

 point of view of accuracy. A few drawings have 

 been made specially for this book by Mr. J. Green. 

 I have further to acknowledge the permission given 

 by the Trustees of the British Museum, the India 

 Office, and the Zoological Society, to reproduce a few 

 figures from previous publications of which I am the 

 author. 



In order to render this little book more useful, the 

 account of the Snakes of Europe has been preceded 



