SMOOTH SNAKE 167 



viper likes, and as a rule the two species keep apart when they live in the same 

 districts. In the mountains the smooth snake prefers the lower levels to the 

 rocky heights and peaks and is, therefore, ahsent from the Hartz and the barren 

 parts of other mountains. In the Bauhe Alp it ascends to a height of 2500 

 feet, in Baden to 3300 feet, in central Switzerland to 2600 feet, in the Tyrol 

 and Swiss Alps to 4200 feet (sometimes even to 6600 feet), and in the Caucasus 

 to a similar height. In the choice of its haunts it resembles the sand-lizard, 

 while the viper shares the domain of the viviparous lizard. 



The smooth snake keeps to its dwelling-place, and enters on few distant 

 migrations or excursions; its progress, retreat, and defence being alike slow. 

 If its refuge — a hole in the ground or a stone-heap — be not at hand, it takes no 

 trouble to endeavour to escape, but prepares to defend itself, coiling up flat or 

 in spirals, puffing out threateningly, and biting furiously right and left. As a 

 matter of fact, this snake seeks concealment from its numerous enemies, as well 

 as from its victims ; and only when it lights upon its prey, or is seized, does it 

 develop greater vivacity. When taken from the ground, it curls around the hand 

 as quickly and as often as possible, in order to fasten its teeth into the nearest 

 object. The warmer the air, the more excited, angry, and violent is the snake. 

 In fits of ill-temper it will sometimes bite other members of its own kind, while 

 occasionally in excitement or blind fury it even bites itself. The bite of the feeble 

 teeth inflicts, however, little or no hurt on either man or beast, unless it be in 

 gripping the animals that serve as food; its food proper consisting of small 

 lizards and blindworms, and exceptionally of field-mice, shrew-mice, and small 

 snakes. 



This snake usually seizes its prey with the jaws, winding its body round the 

 victim in three coils as quick as lightning, so as to crush it, or, if it be a quadruped, 

 to prevent its using its legs. Soon, although at times only after some minutes, the 

 snake, keeping free at least a third of its body, dashes suddenly down on the 

 head of the victim protruding from the coils, stretches its open mouth around it, 

 and gradually swallows the crushed mass. Besides food it requires water, which 

 is either sucked up from moss or the ground, or gulped down after the manner of 

 the viper. This species also takes readily to water, in which its movements are 

 quick and graceful. 



Quitting in April its winter-refuge, which it often only enters in October, 

 and having successfully cast its skin during the spring and become strong 

 again after that somewhat trying operation, the smooth snake enters upon its 

 pairing-season, during which the males are very jealous and quarrelsome. At 

 the end of August, or, in most cases, not till September or even October, the young 

 emerge from their shells almost as soon as the eggs are laid. If not driven into 

 winter-quarters by the inclemency of the weather, they at once seek their food, 

 consisting of young lizards and blindworms; but they themselves are not in- 

 frequently devoured by adult snakes of their own kind. With the exception 

 of a few that for a long while will refuse to take food, these snakes readily 

 accustom themselves to captivity in a dry and sunny cage, and in some days 

 or weeks lose their ill-temper and uncertain humours, and often feed from the 

 hand. 



