A Cold-blooded Race. 49 



You must move with stealthy tread. At the first 

 sound the timid creature will be off, and you will 

 hardly have caught sight of the olive-brown coils before 

 the long and winding form has glided swiftly away 

 among the rustling bushes. 



He has no weapons to rely on ; and if disturbed on 

 the bank of a river thinks nothing of taking to the 

 water, where his movements are even more graceful 

 than on land. 



There he is ! Beginning to move already. Lay 

 your stick gently down on him and take him up in 

 your hand. 



He is a beautiful creature. His bright eyes and 

 glittering tongue ; the to a naturalist, as, perhaps, to 

 the unhappy frog fascinating expression of his face ; 

 the cool skin not slimy, as some suppose, but quite 

 pleasant to the touch; the yellow collar round his 

 neck, and his varied markings, have a charm in them 

 that no one can realize unless he has suffered one of 

 these graceful reptiles to twine itself about his hands, 

 fondled the smooth armour of its glossy head, and 

 allowed the long black tongue to caress his finger. 



The ringed snake has teeth that can draw blood if 

 he is very much provoked. He seldom uses them in 

 defence ; but woe betide the frog whose hind leg is 

 once caught in that fatal trap ! There is no escape 

 for him, and slowly, but surely, he will pass out of 

 sight, furnishing a sufficient meal perhaps for weeks. 



The ringed snake, like all the race, is fond of the 



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