THE RING SNAKE. 23 
which would be beyond the scope of this work, and 
which can be studied in the larger text- books on 
Zoology, a few of the more general anatomical points 
of the ring snake may be noted. There are certain 
negative points which are characteristic of the order 
Ophidia. Thus there are no limbs, no external eye- 
lids, no tear-ducts, no lips (only scales), no urinary 
bladder, no epiglottis at the back of the tongue, no 
sternum (the boue which the ribs join on to in some 
amimals). In addition to these general negative quali- 
ties of the order the ring snake is also non-poisonous 
and non-Irish; so that a good deal may be learnt about 
this species by simply knowing what it 1s wot. 
There is a complete covering of scales. Those on 
the top of the head are characteristic of the species, so 
must be noticed particularly. They are in the form 
of large plates, and have a definite arrangement. This 
arrangement may be expressed diagramunatically thus 
(using the capital letter O to represent a single 
plate) :— 
Nose. 
O 
00 
OO 
Eye. 000 Eye. 
(exe) 
ie) 
Collar. 
This is the disposition of the largest plates, the relative 
positions of the nose, eyes, and the yellow collar being 
shown by the same words. There are other smaller 
