402 LIZARD SNAKE, 



into unpleasant contact with the spiny Genista, and 

 perhaps ev^en be unable to move backward or forward. 

 An unexpected encounter somewhat startled me, for as 

 I was putting my foot down on a withered branch of 

 Lentiscus, a snake as thick as my wrist and nearly five 

 feet long swiftly escaped. Fortunately I had not trodden 

 on the creature, and it seemed harmless, for it went 

 away without showing any sign of anger. This "Lizard 

 Snake" (Coelopeltis I^acertina) is not uncommon at the 

 Cap d'Antibes. It is distinguished from all other Euro- 

 pean snakes b-\' its deepl)/ hollowed forehead and 1:>\' the 

 scales of its back being deeply grooved lengthwise. The 

 ground colour of the upper part is olive-brown. This 

 snake hisses loudl}^ and thus often frightens those who 

 happen to come across it. I^ut although it possesses in 

 each jaw a large sharp tapering fang, its bite is not 

 dangerous. From the moment when I was clear about 

 the nature of this snake, I felt no uneasiness. It did 

 not prevent my taking further rambles in the Maquis 

 on the promontory. Apparently it was not this Lizard 

 Snake, but another yellowish one, Coluber Aesciilapii, 

 which pla\ ed a part in the service of the Greek Aescu- 

 lapian temples. The Romans introduced these reptiles 

 to Itah' and the^' ma-^' also have brought them to the 

 German vSpas. For they have been, and still are, met 

 with in Germany, particularly in the vicinit\' of the old 

 watering places, such as Schlangenbad, which is named 

 after them. As a symbol of prophec\' this serpent is 

 wound round the staff which Aesculapius, the God of 

 healing, bears in his hand. 



