THE COMMON SNAKE. 51 



ing fish. ; but whether this was merely an idiosyn- 

 crasy on the part of one or two individuals, or 

 whether it is a confirmed habit, we are not in 

 possession of sufficient evidence to determine. 

 Such a predilection on the part of the common 

 snake we have not yet heard of. This reptile 

 is generally found in wet situations, or not 

 far from water, whilst the viper evidently 

 prefers a drier locality. We have heard of vipers 

 being found on marshes, but are doubtful 

 whether the creatures so called were not 

 common snakes. 



The entire ]ength of this species is generally 

 over two feet, sometimes exceeding three feet, 

 and rare instances have been recorded, of which 

 several occur in the pages of the Zoologist, 

 of its reaching, and even exceeding, four feet. 

 The female is usually the largest. The colour 

 of reptiles is very prone to variation, but the tint 

 of the upper surface in this species is generally 

 of a brownish-grey with a greenish tinge, some- 

 times nearly that of an ash stick. Along the 

 back are two parallel rows of small black spots, 

 with a series of larger blotches of black of vari- 

 able sizes along each side. The under surface is 

 of a dull lead-colour, sometimes mottled. The 

 scales and their arrangement, especially on the 

 head, differ from those of the viper. In the 

 common snake the head is covered by large 

 E 2 



