198 FAUNA OF SHROPSHIRE. 



alarm, never heard at any other time, and birds and 

 mice sit still, trembling with fear. A few years ago the 

 keeper at Betton killed a Snake ; noticing that one part 

 of its body was greatly enlarged, he opened it, and found 

 three Water Voles ; the one that had been swallowed 

 first was partially digested, the other two were quite 

 fresh. If irritated, the Snake utters a hissing sound and 

 at the same time emits a strong pungent odour, which 

 clings for a long time to the clothes of anyone who 

 handles it. As mentioned at the commencement of this 

 chapter, the scale-like covering of the Snake consists of 

 a series of pocket-shaped folds of true skin. The slough 

 is cast several times a year. Just before the change 

 the colour alters to a dull grey, and the Snake seems 

 restless and uneasy ; the skin then splits open on the 

 neck, the edges curling outwards ; the Snake wriggles 

 gradually out of the old skin, and in the process turns it 

 completely inside out. If the slough is examined it will 

 be found to have every detail impressed upon it, every 

 * scale ' perfect, and even the covering of the eyes intact, 

 but, being reversed, these appear concave instead of 

 convex. Snakes have not movable eyelids, but possess a 

 glassy covering to the eyes, formed by the fusion of the 

 upper and lower eyelids. It is this that imparts such 

 a peculiar aspect to the head the unwinking stare so 

 characteristic of these reptiles. The Common Snake is 

 oviparous, laying some twenty or more eggs, in a dung- 

 heap, or other warm situation ; they are gelatinous, with 

 a tough envelope and, although laid singly, usually 

 adhere together in a bunch. As soon as they are laid 

 they absorb moisture and swell till they are rather 

 larger than a sparrow's egg. The length of time they take 



