THE SMOOTH SNAKE, 57 
throat to the snout of the lizard, by slow and almost 
imperceptible degrees. When once it has the lizard’s 
head fairly in its jaws the process of swallowing is 
rapid, and the strong protests of the victim are wholly 
unavailing, as the snake with its tail knotted round 
the grass is able to overcome all resistance. In this 
way it will in five or ten minutes entirely dispose of a 
lizard as large round as itself and two-thirds of its 
length. After its meal the snake is somewhat slugeish, 
and disinclined to exert itself; but in about a fort- 
night it begins to recover its appetite, and by the end 
of another week it is again actively eneaged in its 
search for food. 
“While in the viper the markings are all remarkably 
clear and distinct, in the coronella they are mostly 
blotched and undefined. The colour, too, of the latter 
is generally a dull slaty grey or a dusty brown, very 
different from the rich beauty of tint which adorns the 
viper. It should, moreover, be clearly understood 
that although the coronella can, and if irritated will, 
at times bite hard enough to draw blood, it is not 
venomous, and possesses no fangs properly so called. 
Its teeth are mostly hardly larger than those of the 
lizard, and are barely perceptible without careful 
examination. But situated at the extremities of the 
jaws, almost in the throat of the snake, are two long 
fang-like teeth, unconnected (as far as I can determine) 
with any poison-glands. Presumably they are in- 
tended to aid the snake in holding its prey, and 
