43 



CHAPTEE V. 

 GORONELLA AUSTEIACA, OR THE SMOOTH SNAKE. 



DISTRIBUTION — IN BRITISH ISLES — DESCRirTION — HABITS — 

 EXTRACTS FROM REV. O. P. CAMBRIDGE'S PAPER — OCCUR- 

 RENCE IN BERKSHIRE — LITERATURE. 



Distribution. — This species is very rarely encoun- 

 tered in this country, and we are indebted to 

 Continental observers for most of the writings on 

 it. Nevertheless, the smooth snake is now admitted 

 as a true British serpent, and must therefore be in- 

 cluded here. I have never come across one out of 

 museums and collections myself, so freely acknow- 

 ledge my indebtedness to others for the description 

 of its habits and food. A list of references at the 

 end of this chapter will enable those readers who 

 desire to look further into the literature of this 

 snake to know where to find it. 



Although so rare in this country, the smooth snake 

 is common enough on the European Continent, more 

 especially in the central and southern countries. 



