44 OUR REPTILES. 



give him additional facility of proceeding through 

 rough places, these are all highly polished, appear- 

 ing lustrous in the sun, the animal looking like a 

 thick piece of tarnished copper wire. When sur- 

 prised in his transit from the hedge, contrary to the 

 custom of snake or viper, which writhe themselves 

 away into the grass in the ditch, he stops, as if 

 fearful of proceeding, or to escape observation by 

 remaining motionless ; but if touched, he makes 

 some effort to escape. This habit of the poor 

 slow-worm becomes frequently the cause of his 

 destruction.* 



This species is generally about ten inches in length, 

 and rarely exceeds fourteen inches. Its' general 

 colour on the upper surface is of a brownish grey, 

 with a silvery or bright steel-like appearance. There 

 are commonly several parallel rows of minute 

 darker spots along the sides, and one down the 

 middle of the back. Underneath it is of a bluish 

 black, with a whitish network. The young at first 

 are whitish, then of a light yellowish grey above, 

 with a black line running down the back, and with 

 black bellies. The mature reptile is cylindrical, or 

 slightly squared, in form, gradually decreasing 

 towards the tail, which ends abruptly. The latter 

 often equals the body in length, and is covered 



* Knapp's "Journal of a Naturalist," p. 309, 



