C)6 THE COMMON SNAKE. 



young birds, which they swallow whole, though 

 it sometimes happens that the morsel is thrice the 

 thickness of their own body. 



They are capable of supporting long abstinence, 

 one of them having been kept above six months in 

 a box without food ; during winch time its vivacity 

 was not lessened. — When at liberty they remain 

 torpid throughout the winter 5 yet, when confined, 

 they have never been observed to take their annual 

 repose. 



They are usually caught with wooden tongs by 

 the end of the tail. This is done without danger; 

 for, while they are held in that position, they cannot 

 wind themselves up to injure their enemy. 



Their flesh was formerly in high esteem as a 

 remedy for various diseases, but particularly as a 

 restorative. It has, however, of late years lost 

 much of its ancient credit, and is very rarely pre- 

 scribed by modern practitioners. 



THE COMMON SNAKE*. 



The Common or Ringed Snakes are well-known 

 inhabitants of moist and warm woods, on the dry 

 banks of which they are often seen during the sum- 

 mer, either sleeping or basking themselves. They 

 are harmless and inoffensive animals, being totally- 

 destitute of every means of injuring mankind. 



* Synonyms. Coluber natrix. Linn. — Ringed Snake. I'tnn, 

 — Venn. Brit. Zool. r ool. 3. tab. 4.. 



