Fkesh-water Ssakes.- 



-REPTILES.. 



-Common Ringed Snake. 



61 



it has been cauglit, but if taken quite young it may be 

 rendered very gentle and familiar. When provolced 

 it makes no hishing noise unless some mice are intro- 

 duced into its cage, of which it is very fond. It does 

 not leap, but it can climb trees ; and though it does 

 not frequent -water, yet it lias been seen to swim Tvell. 



Several species of Coronclla are natives of Africa ; 

 wliile others, remarkable for the brilliancy of their 

 colours while alive, are found in South America. 



THE CORAL SNAKE {Erijlhrohimprus vcnustissimits) 

 is one of these, and is indeed one of the most beautiful 

 of the whole order of Ophidians. The ground colour 

 of this beautiful serjjent is a strikingly fine vermilion ; 

 the scales are all pointed with black, and the body is 

 encircled with from twelve to fifteen pairs of black 

 rings, edged with greenish-white, and placed at regular 

 intervals. It is a native of Brazil, being found in 

 the forests in the neighbourhood of P.io Janiero. 



Family III.— FRESH-WATER SNAKES 

 [Kutriciih' . 



This family contains forty-two species, by far tlie 

 greater number of which are natives of India and 

 America, though species are found in almost all parts 

 of the world. They are of moderate size, with the 

 body ratlier stout, generally depressed, and the belly 

 flat, or in some cases rounded. With the exception 

 of one species from West Africa {Grcnjia silurojiJiaga) 

 the tail is rather short, more or less distinct from the 

 trunk, and tapering to a point. In the greater num- 

 ber of the species the head is depressed, rather broad, 

 and distinct fiom the neck. The muzzle in most is 

 rounded, and the mouth is very large. They are 

 generall}- found living in the immediate neighbour- 

 hood of fresh-water lakes or streams, into which they 

 often plunge in search of shelter or food. By far the 

 greater number of the known species of the family are 

 contained in two genera, Xeiiodon and Tropidonutus. 

 We have only space for the latter. 



The genus Tropidimotus contains twenty-four .spe- 

 cies, which are found scattered in nearly all parts 

 of the world. They are of moderate size, and appear 

 to prefer for their place of abode the neighbourhood of 

 fresh watei', which thej' very often frequent, either 

 for the purpose of withdrawing themselves from the 

 pursuit of their enemies or of searching for food. 

 This habit is so well known in the various countries 

 where they are found, that they are almost universally 

 called " Fresh-water serpents." The various species 

 are all closely allied in form. Some of the species 

 are small ; others, on the contrary, attain a length 

 of four or five feet, with a circumference of about 

 an inch and a half or thereabouts. The greater 

 number are natives of India and America. Two are 

 European, and only one has as yet been discovered 

 in Australia. They abound especially near lakes, 

 rivers, or brooks, the banks of which are shaded 

 with trees. Stretched there upon a rock, or clinging 

 upon the branches of the shrubs near the water, they 

 rest wailing for their prc.v, which consists cliiefly of 

 frogs and fishes. Ujion these they dart with great 

 rapidity, the moment the poor creatures show them- 



selves at the surface of the water. They swim with 

 great ease and elegance, holding the head and neck 

 above the surface ; they even dive with nmch dexte- 

 rity, and are able to remain a length of time at the 

 bottom of the water without requiring to renew the ail . 

 in their lungs. Although they are able to creep on 

 dry land and climb upon trees and other elevated 

 objects, yet, being able and expert swimmers, the}' 

 prefer taking to the water^ when in danger, to seeking 

 their safety in flight upon the ground. All kinds of 

 situations are apparently indiU'erent to tliem as places 

 of abode, provided they are such as can furnish them 

 with sufficient food ; and this accounts for the fact 

 that frequently the same species is found inhabiting 

 plains covered with brushwood, meadows, tlie borders 

 of woods removed from water, equally with dense 

 forests and the sides of mountains to a considerable 

 height above the level of the sea. Other species, 

 however, never appear to quit the immediate neigh- 

 bourhood of fresh-water lakes and rivers. They take 

 up their abode in holes in the ground which have been 

 excavated by burrowing animals, and to these they 

 retreat at the approach of danger; or, in temperate 

 climes, at the a|)proach of winter. They are oviparous. 

 THE COMMON KINGED SNAKE {Trnjndunotus 

 nalrix) is the best-known species. It is common 

 throughout almost all Europe and part of Asia. When 

 full grown, it sometimes attains a length of five feet, 

 though in this country it seldom exceeds four at the 

 utmost. The body is long, the middle of the back 

 elevated ; the neck is narrow, and the tail very tapering 

 and ratlier pointed at the extremity ; the head is broad 

 and depressed, distinct from the neck, and the gape of 

 the mouth is as long as the head, slightly curved, and 

 rising posteriorly ; the teeth are small, curved back- 

 wards, and the tongue is long, excessively flexible, and 

 bifid to about one-third of its length. The upper parts 

 of the body and head are of a light brownish-gray 

 colour, with a green tinge, sometimes approaching to 

 a dull pale olive. Behind the head, on the upper part, 

 is a broad collar, or two lunate spots, of a bright 

 yellow colour, and immediately behind these are two 

 broad transverse spots of black ; down the back run 

 two rows of small black spots, arranged alternately, 

 with larger ones at the sides. The colours and mark- 

 ings, however, vary very much. It is gentle in its 

 habits, and may be easily tamed. When attacked, or 

 seized by the hinder part of its body, it rolls itself up 

 in a spiral form, and defends itself by ejecting at its 

 assailant a disgusting fetid liquor, secreted by certain 

 glands within the vent. It seldom bites when taken 

 hold of; but Schlcgel says, that occasionally it has 

 happened to him, when he lias suddenly approached 

 the edge of a wood where a numerous society had 

 established themselves for the purpose of laying their 

 eggs, that a large individual of the number attacked 

 him with fury, whilst the others were making their 

 escape into the holes in the ground, where they took 

 up their abode in limes of danger. The holes they 

 prefer to burrow in are such as are made by moles, 

 mice, and other small mammalia. They seldom form 

 them for themselves. Loving heat, they often fi-equent 

 the neighbourhood of human habitations, and are 



