THE RING SNAKE, 13 
just by the drive on the opposite side. It was a most 
beautifully marked specimen, and I have it now in my 
collection, sole representative of its species as far as 
this valley is concerned. No doubt it had been 
brought to the Court in a load of something, as I am 
quite satisfied that these ring snakes do not breed 
in this locality. If they did they would be far more 
common, A more extreme instance of the same kind 
of thing is reported from Ireland in ‘Country Life’ 
(November 3, 1900), to which reference will be made 
later on. 
This reptile is by far the most common snake in 
Europe, being found in almost every country—in vary- 
ing numbers, of course, according to the climate. 
Thus it does not occur in the most northerly portions 
of Russia ; while it is present in the island of Sicily. 
Description.— Nothing to my mind is more diffi- 
cult than to describe colours and shades, especially 
those of animals. The personal conceptions of in- 
dividuals are so different in the matter of colours. 
Still the attempt must be made; but a careful inspec- 
tion of a specimen will convey more than any amount 
of printed description. What strikes the observer at 
once on looking at a ring snake is the brilliant yellow 
or orange collar, divided in the middle line on the 
back of the neck by a narrow dark line. Immediately 
behind this collar is an incomplete dark - brown or 
black patch, the incomplete part being on the ventral 
surface, This dark band is much wider on the sides 
