HERfETOLOGY OF THE GRAND DUCHY OF BADEN. 341 



one or the other being always preponderant. The grey form, at 

 a distance, resembles deceptively Tropidonotus natrix, and these 

 two species, besides presenting much analogous variation in 

 colour — thus tessellatus is also liable to lose the collar-mark 

 (Elaphis flavescens similarly) and to follow the same process as 

 natrix in the gradual darkening of the fundamental tint — have 

 much in common in their habits and mode of life. 



The young of this species are coloured singularly like the 

 Viper, and a specimen of the allied viperinus now before me is 

 not to be distinguished from it, in its white and black pattern. 

 The resemblance, however, is not mimetic, but purely accidental, 

 as the adults do not possess it in so pronounced a degree. 



3. Zamenis viridiflavus, Laur. — This is one of the most 

 doubtful German species. Silesia on the east, and the Moselle 

 Valley on the west, are the only localities in which its occurrence 

 has been suspected, 



4. Elaphis flavescens , Gmel. — I will briefly sum up the 

 evidence* favouring the claims of this species to be considered 

 indigenous to Baden : — (1). In 1782 Dr. Sander wrote to the 

 ' Naturforscher ' that two " tree-snakes" had been captured near 

 St. Blasien, in the Southern Schwarzwald, and were preserved 

 there. Leydig is disposed to regard this as conclusive ; however, 

 I have myself seen T. natrix climbing trees, and have heard other 

 accounts to that effect. (2). v. Heyden observed this species 

 near Baden-Baden (presumably about 1820). (3). Dr. Weber, 

 a meritorious herpetologist, cites a letter from a certain Dr. 

 Stocker (1855), according to whom Elaphis flavescens occurs on 

 the Jura, towards the W. extremity of Lake Constance ; and also 

 a newspaper report (1871), stating that a large individual of 

 this species was killed near Pforzheim, about 20 miles east of 

 Karlsruhe. Is this evidence sufficient ? It is uncertain whether 

 Dr. Weber himself saw any specimens, and undoubtedly the 

 strongest testimony is that of v. Heyden, who can hardly have 

 been mistaken. The snake in the museum of Karlsruhe, labelled 

 E. flavescens var. nigra, is only the melanic form of the preceding, 

 (Anguis Msculapii niger, Aldrov. = Z. viridiflavus var. carbo- 

 narius). Its origin is obscure. 



(To be continued). 

 * As given in Leydig, * Einheimische Schlangen,' p. 11. 



