42 BRITISH SERPENTS. 
as there was a rumour that some of the boys had 
snakes in boxes in their tents, that probably the 
specimen taken here escaped from some of the boys 
the previous summer. It may even have been this 
year, as the camp was here again, but I did not 
hear of any of the boys having snakes there this 
year.” 
The two snakes were thus evidently about the 
same age, and might have come from the same lot 
of eggs. Sir Robert Hodson inclines to the first 
explanation given above, while Dr Thompson rather 
suspects the schoolboys of being guilty of this ophid- 
lan conundrum. Both views are quite feasible, and 
one could not decide the question without further 
evidence. 
