RINGED SNAKE. . 44/ 



hedges, and shady places : in colour it occasion- 

 ally varies, but is generally either of a blueish 

 grey or pale olive on the upper parts, marked 

 along the sides by a row of small transverse black 

 streaks, alternating with some smaller spots of the 

 same colour ; and on each side the neck is a black 

 and somewhat semilunar patch, the horns or tips 

 pointing forward : this is bounded in front by a 

 second patch of a pale yellow or whitish colour, 

 thus forming a kind of collar on each side the 

 neck : the under parts are of a mixed black and 

 whitish colour, the black being disposed in large 

 squarish alternate patches or divisions, which to- 

 wards the tail become more confluent, so as nearly 

 to exclude the other variegations : the head is 

 rather small than large, and is covered with large 

 scaly plates : the sides of the mouth are marked 

 by several black bars : the remainder of the upper 

 parts are covered with ovate and slightly carinated 

 scales : the tail is of moderate length, and gradu- 

 ally tapers to the extremity. This animal is of an 

 innoxious nature, and may be tamed to a consi- 

 derable degree. Mr. White, in his History of Sel- 

 burne, has the following remark on this subject : 

 I knew a gentleman who kept a tame snake, 

 which was in its person as sweet as any animal ; 

 but as soon as a stranger, or a dog or cat came in, 

 fell to hissing, and filled the room with such nau- 

 seous effluvia as rendered it hardly supportable. " 

 The snake chiefly lives by preying on frogs, mice, 

 small birds, insects, worms, &c. It is known to 

 frequent the water occasionally, for the sake of 



