152 ANIMAL LIFE OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



among other objectionable scents. It soon becomes gentle and 

 tame. 



The Grass Snake is widely distributed over England, Wales, 

 and the south-eastern parts of Scotland. It appears never to 

 have reached Ireland. Various attempts have been made to 

 introduce it in the latter country, but the prejudices of the 

 people and their respect for the legendary miracle of their 

 patron saint have always prevented the Snakes from establishing 

 themselves. 



Smooth Snake (Coronetta austriaca, Lacepede). 



Although in general appearance similar to the Grass Snake 

 the Smooth Snake in the hand exhibits a sufficient number of 

 differences to make its identification easy. The smoothness 

 which gives it a name is at once evident to our sense of touch, 

 and is due to the fact that all its scales lack the little keels or 

 ridges that give a certain roughness to the common species. It 

 never attains to so large a size as the Grass Snake, its maximum 

 length being two feet. 



The ground colour of this snake on the upper side is grey, 

 brown, or reddish, with small black, brown, or red spots, which 

 are usually in pairs ; occasionally there are three lighter longi- 

 tudinal stripes. The upper part of the head is sometimes 

 blackish ; this is more frequently so in young examples. A 

 dark streak runs from the nostrils and through the eye to the 

 angle of the mouth. This streak may be prolonged, even to the 

 tail. On the underside the colouring is some tint of orange, 

 red, brown, grey, or black, with or without black spots or dots. 

 The eye has a round pupil like that of the Grass Snake, and 

 this helps to give it a similar gentle appearance. 



Prior to the year 1853 British specimens had been regarded 

 as mere variations of the Grass Snake, but in that year it was 

 captured by Mr. F. Bond at Ringwood by the New Forest, 

 though it was not recorded under its proper name until six 



