62 OUR REPTILES. 



rare occurrence for any one to observe the Coronella 

 taking its food, Dr. Opel gives an interesting 

 account of a contest between one of his snakes and 

 a Slow- worm (Anguis fragilis). 



In the year 1857 I was in possession of such a number of snakes 

 of various species that I was obliged to place my Coronella in 

 the same cage with a blindworm, which had been there for 

 some time already. The two appeared to be good friends, and 

 took no particular notice of each other. Both passed into their 

 winter sleep as the cold came on ; and, with the return of spring, 

 again woke up and shared the cage in peace, coiled up together 

 on the side where the sun's rays struck warmest. The blindworm 

 ate freely of the earthworms offered to it, though all attempts 

 failed to induce the Coronella to take any food. Small lizards 

 placed near it were allowed to crawl away without notice, and 

 even young mice were disregarded. One morning (May 9) I ob- 

 served a great commotion in the cage. At this time the Coronella 

 had not cast its skin, nor had it eaten "anything for nearly nine 

 months. The blindworm was striving to escape the fixed gaze 

 of its companion, which was following it all over their prison. I 

 placed some fresh water in the cage, and just at that instant the 

 snake threw itself with irresistible force upon the blindworm, 

 fixed i's teeth into its head, and, flinging fold after fold of its 

 body round its victim, held it in a vice-like grip, exactly after 

 the manner of the giant serpents of the tropics. So tightly, in- 

 deed, did it embrace the unhappy blindworm, that the contents 

 of the latter's intestinal canal were violently forced out, and 

 scattered over the glass sides. Each desperate struggle of the 

 blindworm was followed by a closer grasp on the part of the Coro- 

 nella, which looked exactly like a roll of tobacco, through which 

 the extreme end of the blindworm's tail protruded. 



Of course this contest ended in favour of the 

 snake ; and the blindworm was slowly devoured 

 This latter act occupied more than three hours ; for 

 the blindworm was a large one, measuring eleven 



