THE SMOOTH SNAKE. 55 



Hants. I thought at the time I had something 

 new, but, not taking much interest in the rep- 

 tiles, it was put into spirits and forgotten until I 

 saw Dr. Gray's notice. I have sent this speci- 

 men to the British Museum, so that any one 

 may see it."* 



Nothing more was heard of the Smooth Snake 

 in Britain till the year 1862, when, between 

 October and December, several communica- 

 tions appeared in the Field, and Mr. Buckland 

 seemed to claim its discovery as an addition 

 to the British Fauna. Mr. Bartlett, of the Zoo- 

 logical Gardens, Regent 's Park, ultimately pub- 

 lished an account, in which he stated, f " It was 

 on the morning of the 24th August, 1862, I saw 

 for the first time one of these animals, Mr. 

 Fenton having stopped me as I was driving 

 along the road in the Kegentfs Park, and taking 

 from his pocket what I then thought was a viper, 

 asked me if I would accept it for the Zoological 

 Gardens." From the Proceedings of the Zoo- 

 logical Society we learn that, on one occasion, 

 Mr. F. Buckland exhibited this specimen, and 

 ultimately f several others, which had been found 

 in this country. So deficient, however, in all 

 the necessary details of date, place, and circuxn- 



* Zoologist, p. 6787. t Intellectual Observer, iii. p. 149. 

 j November llth, 1862. 



