1856 The Zoologist— May, J 869. 



In the. night, or early the next morning, the third lizard was eaten by 

 the same snake. My second capture was soniewhat of an epicure, 

 and at present has consumed more tails than lizards ; it does not, 

 however, confine itself entirely to tails. With regard to the same tail- 

 eating propensity of this snake, I may mention that three of the vivi- 

 parous lizards which 1 caught had previously lost their tails, but in 

 what manner is entirely open to conjecture." — H. P. Blackmore, in 

 the ' Zoologist,' p. 9735. 



These most interesting records, of course, induced a more extended 

 and general search for the " new Snake," — a search that was rewarded 

 by the capture of many other specimens, records of which appeared 

 not only in the * Zoologist' but in the 'Field' newspaper, and many 

 other Journals which occasionally contain Natural -hi story notices. 

 Although it may, perhaps, be thought unnecessary to say more on the 

 food of this snake, I cannot resist the temptation to cite two more 

 corroborative paragraphs, not only on account of their intrinsic value, 

 but also on account of the high reputation of the writers as leading 

 herpetologists. 



" A large male specimen of this snake, which I kept for a long time 

 on account of its tameness, fed exclusively on lizards, never on mice 

 or frogs. After having fed it for some time with ordinary sized 

 lizards, proportionate to the size of the snake, I brought a very large 

 specimen of Lacerta agilis to its cage, in order to try the strength of 

 the snake. The lizard was immediately seized ; but after a long 

 fight, during which the lizard several times appeared to be entangled 

 in the writhings of the snake, — always managing, however, to free its 

 head which had been seized by the snake, — the latter changed the 

 point of attack, and got hold of the tail of the lizard : this, of course, 

 broke oflf, and was devoured by the snake. From this time the snake 

 always seized the tails of the lizards given him for food, without 

 further attacking them ; nor, if tailless lizards were put to him, would 

 he attempt to devour them." — Dr. Gunther, in the ' Zoologist ' for 

 October, 1862. 



The other and last quotation on the fobd of the lizard is translated 

 from the writings of Dr. Opel, by the Rev. W. W. Spicer, who 

 obligingly sent me the translation for publication in the ' Zoologist.' 



" Wyder states that ' the Coluber austriacus devours small lizards, 

 round which it twines itself, crushing them after the manner of the 

 great tropical serpents. Sometimes it seizes its prey by the tail, and 



