The YOUKC HATUBAUST: 



A Monthly Magazine of Natural History. 



Part 62. LEBBUARY, 1885. Vol. 6. 



THE BLINDWORM 



f Anguis FragilisJ 

 By W. H. WARNER. 



SUNNY, flower strewn hedge-banks, old ivy-covered walls, hazel coppices, the 

 borders of woods, and the like, are the favourite haunts of the exquisitely 

 beautiful Blindworm, and here it may be seen in the sunny clays of early 

 spring, coiled up in its peculiar knot, like a " piece of tarnished coloured wire," 

 to quote the words of a well-known observer. Beautiful the Blindworm most 

 certainly is, though it requires a somewhat close acquaintance to become 

 aware of the fact. Its bright, coppery coloured, snake-like body, will on 

 examination be found to be exquisitely polished and perfect, the small and 

 numerous scales being closely set, in neat and regular rows. The eyes of this 

 reptile too, are lively and brilliant, and it is a sad mistake to call it blind. 



Last year I paid more than ordinary attention to the habits of the Blind- 

 worm, and knew where to find one at any time. Common it certainly is if 

 you only know where to look for it. My plan was to raise the large, flat 

 stones lying on the turf, near a certain little wood in Berkshire, and I was 

 seldom disappointed. Life under these stones was generally well represented. 

 In addition to a Blindworm or two snugly curled up, there were nearly always 

 flourishing nests of the different kinds of ants underneath, as well as woodlice, 

 beetles, and similar creatures. Shell-snails too, were often to be found under 

 the stone. The Blindworm is also often found occupying the low-built and 

 "deserted nests of the hedge-loving birds, and on more than one occasion has 

 been found coiled up snugly enough in the nest of the Moss Bee (Bombus 

 muscorumj, the Humble Bee, with the orange-coloured thorax, which is so 

 often seen in early spring, busily employed about the rich, honey-yieldiug 

 blossoms of the white dead nettle. Two Blindworms were found comfortably 

 resting in a tenanted nest of this bee near the comb. How the bees could 

 permit such an intrusion is rather curious. I once uncovered a Moss Bee's 

 nest myself and regretted it, for I had to scamper over the ground rather 



