THE COMMON SNAKE. 51 



after it has reached the stomach. Mr. Bell says, 

 " I once saw a very small one, which had been swal- 

 lowed by a large snake in my possession, leap 

 again out of the mouth of the latter, which happened 

 to gape, as they frequently do immediately after 

 taking food." 



During the present summer a gentleman of our 

 acquaintance saw a lad kill a snake in a wood. It 

 was a very large one, and the boy cut it open along 

 the under surface with his pocket-knife. By this 

 means a fall-sized frog was liberated from the 

 stomach of the snake. It was very lively, and soon 

 hopped away. Why may not young vipers remain 

 as long with equal ease in the stomach of their 

 parent ? 



The snake is very fond of the water, and may 

 often be surprised, coiled up in sunny weather, with 

 its head out enjoying the luxury of a bath. It will 

 dive after the water-newts, especially when rather 

 hungry, bringing them to the shore in its mouth, 

 and devouring them upon dry land. Some kinds of 

 snake have been detected catching fish ; but whether 

 this was merely an idiosyncrasy on the part of one or 

 two individuals, or whether it is a confirmed habit, we 

 are not in possession of sufficient evidence to deter- 

 mine. Such a predilection on the part of the com- 

 mon snake we have not yet heard of. This reptile 



is generally found in wet situations, or not far from 



E 2 



