COLUBRIDA, 45 
of Coluber, as well as the well-known Black Snake § (Cory;shodon 
constrictor) of the Anglo-Americans. Other species of Coryphodon 
or /tyas inhabit south-eastern Asia, such as the Rat Snakes of 
Anglo-Indians, of which Ptyas mucosus is particularly common in 
Hindostan, where itis encouraged by sensible people on account of 
its animosity to the troublesome Brown Rat (JZus decumanus). 
The Dryadine are chiefly American, and do not call for particular 
attention ; but the /Va¢ricine are numerous, and. of them three 
species are to be found in Europe—viz., Zropidonotus natrix, T. 
hydrus, and T: viperinus. Dr. Giinther gives as many as twenty-one 
species of this genus as inhabitants of the Indian region alone, and 
there is reason to believe that that number is far from being complete. 
Others inhabit North America and North-western Australia, and some 
generic groups have been detached that are not very conspicuously 
separable. 
The Ringed Snake (Zropidonotus natrix, Fig. 11) is often found in 
fine seasons near human habitations. It deposits its eggs, which are 
fifteen to twenty in number, commonly in dunghills, in one agglu- 
tinated mass. If exposed to the air, these eggs soon shrivel and 
dry, and the embryos within perish. The Ringed Snakes (Zropidono- 
tus natrix) found near rivers and: meadows, by the side of water- 
courses, into which they love to plunge, are sometimes called Water 
Serpents, Swimming Serpents, Hedge Eels, and other provincial 
synonyms. ‘They sometimes attain to a yard in length. The summit 
of their head is covered with nine large scales, disposed in four rings. 
The upper part of the body is of a more or less darkish grey colour, 
marked on each side with-irregular black spots. Between the two 
rows of spots are two other longitudinal rows, which extend from the 
head to the tail. The belly varies from black to a bluish white. 
Upon the neck are two whitish or pale yellowish spots, which form a 
kind of half collar or ring, from which its name is derived ; these two 
spots become much more apparent from being contrasted with two 
other very dark triangular spots placed near them. They prey upon 
lizards, frogs, and mice, and they even surprise young birds, and 
devour eggs: they climb trees with facility. ‘Towards the end of the 
autumn they seek the most sheltered retreats, approaching even 
houses ; or they retire into holes at the bottom of hedges when in 
such an elevated positiun as to secure them from inundations, The 
Ringed Snake is found in nearly all European countries, and can be 
handled without danger. Lacépéde gives some interesting details, 
showing the gentleness of its habits. ‘They are easily tamed, and can 
‘be kept in houses, where they soon accustom themselves to those who 
