186 Miscellanies. 



Singular as it may appear, but one oi the Colubridcz is found in 

 Great Britain, — the Natrix torquata, common snake ; which we are 

 here told, " inhabits most of the countries of Europe, from Scotland 

 and the corresponding latitude of the Continent, to Italy and Sicily," 

 The following curious anecdote is related of the manner in which 

 they manage their prey and each other : " On placing a frog in a 

 large box in which were several snakes, one of the latter instantly 

 seized it by one of the hinder legs, and immediately afterwards anoth- 

 er of the snakes took forcible possession of the fore leg of the oppo- 

 site side. Each continued its inroads upon the poor frog's limbs and 

 body, until at length the upper jaws of the two snakes met, and one 

 of them in the course of its progress slightly bit the jaw of the other ; 

 this was retaliated, though evidently without any hostile feeling ; but 

 after one or two such accidents, the most powerful of the snakes com- 

 menced shaking the other, which still had hold of the frog, with great 

 violence, from side to side against the sides of the box. After a few 

 moments' rest, the other returned the attack, and at length, the one 

 which had last seized the frog, having a less firm hold, was shaken off, 

 and the victor swallowed the prey in quiet. No sooner was this cu- 

 rious contest over, than I put another frog into the box, which was 

 at once seized and swallowed by the unsuccessful combatant." Our 

 author, immediately after relating this anecdote, observes : " The frog 

 is generally alive, not only during the process of deglutition, but even 

 after it has passed into the stomach. I once saw a very small one 

 which had been swallowed by a large snake in my possession, leap 

 again out of the mouth of the latter, which happened to gape, as they 

 frequently do immediately after taking food. And on another occa- 

 siln, I heard a frog distinctly utter its peculiar cry several minutes 

 after it had been swallowed by the snake." This reminds us of the 

 anecdote related by Harlan,* who, speaking of the tenacity of life ex- 

 hibited by the Rana clamata, observes: " A dog of Mr. Bartram's 

 having accidentally swallowed one of these animals, it was observed 

 to struggle and cry piteously for at least Tialf an hour, to the great di- 

 version of the spectators, and no small confusion of the dog, who was 

 at a loss to comprehend this species of intestinal eloquence." Like 

 many of our snakes, the torquata may be easily tamed ; our author 

 remarks : " I had one many years since, which knew me from all other 

 persons ; and when let out of his box, would immediately come to 

 me, and crawl under the sleeve of my coat, where he was fond of 

 lying perfectly still, and enjoying the warmth. He was accustomed 



* " Descriptions of several new species of Batracian Reptiles, wrth observations 

 on the Larv83 of Frogs. By Richard Harlan, of Philadelphia." This Journal, 

 Vol. X, p. 63. 



