Snakes 



593 



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Photo by Iliiinj Duoii J; Soi>] 



COBKA (BACK VIEW). 



Showing the remarkable i>attern on the "back of the neck, which has 

 given rise to the name of Spectacled Snake. 



behind which is a somewhat broader black collar, 

 which is produced forwards and sub-divides the 

 yellow one in the centre of the upper-surface. 

 In the variety of the ringed snake indigenous 

 to the South of Europe the collar-like markings 

 may be altogether absent, or reduced to a small 

 black patch on each side of the nape of the 

 neck. The maximum length of the ringed snake 

 is some 6i feet. It is a most expert swimmer, 

 moving swiftly through the water with lateral 

 undulations of its body, and carrying its head 

 and neck well above the surface. Frogs con- 

 stitute its favourite diet, but it will also capture 

 and devour fish, mice, and young birds. 



The ViPERiNE and Tesselated Snakes, both 

 European forms, as also the Garter- and 

 Mocassin-snakes of North America, are all closely 

 allied in structure and habits to the familiar 

 ringed species. The second British species, known 

 as the Smooth Snake, belongs to the same 

 group, but is more terrestrial in its habits ; while 

 comparatively rare in England, and limited to 

 the southern counties, it is plentiful on the 

 Continent. The Indian Kat-snake, which is 

 almost as useful as the domestic cat in ridding 

 dwellings of rats and mice, is another repre- 

 sentative of tire solid-toothed group. This group also includes the so-called Pygmy Snakes, 

 inhabiting the Malay region, whose habits are mainly arboreal. They are the most diminutive 

 members of their order, some of the thirty known species not exceeding 1 foot in length. 



The typical Tree-snakes of the Indian and Australian region, with large eyes, somewhat 

 comj)ressed bodies, and 



colours of green or olive, . ' ^ 



in harmonious accord with 

 their arboreal surround- 

 ings, also belong to the 

 solid-toothed and harmless 

 section. An especially 

 interesting representative 

 of this group is the so- 

 called Egg-eating Snake 

 of South Africa. It does 

 not exceed 2 feet in 

 length, and is for the most 

 part arboreal in its habits, 

 and, as its name implies, 

 would ajijjear to feed ex- 

 clusively on eggs. As a 

 structural adaptation for 

 this peculiar habit, the 

 spinous processes of a 

 number of the vertebrae 

 project into the throat 



Fhoio bi/ W. Savillc-XMi, F.2.S.] 



QUEENSLAND SEA-SNAKE. 

 . Sea-snakes have compressed tails, which they use for steering. 



IMUford-on-Sea, 



