yt “ 
BRITISH REPTILES 
brane forming the “ shell”? can be cut through. The 
food consists of birds and eggs, frogs, insects, mice, 
newts, slugs, water-voles, and, it is said, fish. I have 
known one to consume a nest full of young nightingales 
which I had under observation. This species is much 
thinner in proportion to its length than the Adder, and 
tapers much more towards the extremity. This is not an 
invariable rule, but holds good in most cases. The 
general colouration is olive-green, with darker above, and 
greenish-yellow lower down. There is a conspicuous 
orange, or yellow, ring or collar, with a narrow line of 
dark colour on the back of the neck. Behind this there 
is a dark band, which is more pronounced on the neck- 
sides than on the back. There is a single row of black 
markings on either side of the body. The young are 
darker at first, but soon assume the colouring of the 
parents. It attains a much greater length than the 
Adder, the average being between 30 and 36 inches. 
Larger specimens have been recorded, one of 5 feet 
8 inches having been obtained in Hampshire, but this 
may be regarded as phenomenal. In addition to haunt- 
ing marshy situations, this species is fond of entering 
water quite voluntarily, and propels itself along with 
its head just protruding from the liquid element. Its 
movements are graceful and well worth watching. As 
with all the reptiles, it casts its skin regularly, turning 
itself inside out as it were, head and eye-coverings in- 
cluded, and during Winter passes its time, like its con- 
geners, in a state of torpor. It makes a most interesting 
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