REPTILES OF DORSET, 95 



The common snake is too well known to nood minute description. 

 Its generally greenish olive-grey hue with the blight yellow 

 transverse marking close behind the head, brought into greater 

 relief by the black patch -which adjoins it, make it conspicuous at 

 a glance to the most ordinary observer. It could only be con- 

 fused in England with our other two species, the Smooth Snake 

 (Coronella la-vis) and the Adder (Felias herns), and from each of 

 these the yellow ring behind the head at once distinguishes it. It is 

 common throughout England, and in some localities very abundant. 

 In my own district of Bloxworth it comes up from the woods and 

 heaths in considerable numbers every summer to deposit its eggs 

 in fermenting heaps of dead leaves and other vegetable refuse. 

 It appears to possess an instinctive knowledge of these heaps, as 

 at a distance of two or three fields I have seen them emerging 

 from the woods and making their way in a direct line for them. 

 The common snake varies considerably in length ; the largest I ever 

 met with myself was on Bloxworth Heath, and measured exactly 

 4ft. 2in. in length. I have a variety, found on Bloxworth 

 Heath, of which I give here a figure,* and which I imagine to be 

 unique. It is of a uniform pale whitish colour, with a avoII- 

 defined broad longitudinal central dorsal [)ale yellow-brown band. 

 'No trace of the characteristic yellow ring at the back of the head 

 was visible. 



CORONELLA L.EVIS, Boic. 



Sinoofh Snalic. Clermont, European Reptiles, p. 224, suli. 

 Coluber Austriacus, Dum. et Bib. Cambr. Proc. Dors. X. II. and 

 A. Field Club, 1886, Vol. vii., pp. 84—92, pi. vi. 



In a former volume of our Procecaings I have given a figure as 

 Avell as a full description and account of this species, so that it is 

 not necessary to do more than allude to it here in general terms. 



* The liguie given of thi.s variety lia.s been kiiidlj- iliaMn for mo Ity my 

 nephew (liev. F. P. Cambridge). The position of tlie snake is taken 

 from the figure of the common snake in lU'II's "]{c[itilt's of (lirat 

 Britain," being that in which tlie peculiar variation in colour could lie most 

 clearly and fully represented. 



