226 THE VIVARIUM. 
lin. from the end of the wood. ‘The strap and lath may be from 
2ft. to 3ft. long; a greater length than this will make the 
affair rather awkward for quick handling. With this apparatus 
almost any Snake may be rapidly noosed and unnoosed. 
The following is a brief description of the manner of usage of 
these implements just described. The Snake (when found) is 
hooked into the open, if needful and possible, pinned down gently 
and firmly with the forked end of the stick, and held thus while 
the noose is slipped adroitly over the creature’s head and tightened 
just sufficiently to keep the reptile a prisoner until it can be 
dropped into a bag by the loosening of the strap. When these 
contrivances are used, the assistance of a companion is a great 
convenience to the catcher, either to hold the bag open, or to 
apply the noose. 
Tongs, something like long and very blunt scissors, are often 
used for catching Snakes, especially poisonous ones ; but I do not 
recommend them, as unless they are very skilfully and gently used 
they are apt to injure the captives they make. I have at the 
present moment a beautiful yellow variety of the Adsculapian 
Snake (Coluber csculapii) which has evidently been so hurt. 
The noose or lasso just described can do no injury to the reptiles 
if temperately applied. 
As the Grass Snake is a lover of water it should always, while 
in captivity, be provided with a fairly large bath almost filled 
with clear soft water. The following is ashort description of the 
most suitable Vivarium (as faras my own experience goes) for this 
and other Snakes of similar habits and size. The case may be 
made like that represented by Figs. 1, 3, 6, or 9; but it should be 
provided with a false bottom, made of thin wood, placed at a dis- 
tance of 4in. from the true bottom. The false, or upper, bottom 
ought to be completely and exactly covered with a piece of thick 
felt. For a bath, two round “ punched” or ‘ blocked” tin 
saucers, about 9in. or 10in. in diameter, and 3tin. to 4in. deep, 
should be procured, one a size larger than the other. A round 
hole must then be carefully cut through the felt and the false 
bottom, so that it will just receive the body of the larger tin, 
whose rim prevents it from falling through the hole, and which 
overlaps the edge of the felt all round the hole. The felt will thus 
