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furiously biting when alarmed. However, as the nip seldom draws 
blood, and the reptile rapidly becomes tame in captivity, it is very 
suitable for the vivarium, where it should be fed on live young mice 
and lizards. This species is very variable, some specimens being 
quite yellow closely spotted with black, while others are very dark 
with but a few light marks near and about the head. But in all the 
varieties the tail seems to be marked with seven or eight dark 
parallel longitudinal lines (2 to 3 feet). 
/Bsculapian Snake. — This reptile has great historical interest, 
for in the time of the early Romans it was believed to be the 
messenger of rEsculapius, the God of Healing. Its appearance was 
always considered the omen of some gracious action on the part of 
the supposed deity. This belief seems to have taken such a firm 
root in the imagination of the superstitious Romans that many 
ancient writers record the fact that the Legions always carried a 
number of these sacred reptiles when on their empire making 
expeditions. Of course the snakes have absolutely no power over 
disease, and neither had any of their ancestors. This species will 
do very well in a vivarium if fed regularly on young mice, birds, or 
lizards. Its colour is usually dark brown above and greyish-yellow 
below with a very few yellow markings on the head. When wild, 
it bites furiously, but this vice soon leaves it if the reptile be treated 
reasonably in captivity (2 tc \ feet). 
The Leopard Snake is oue of the most beautiful of the 
European reptiles. The colour in the typical specimen (which 
somewhat suggests that of a leopard) is a pinkish-yellow, spotted 
with large bright red blotches. The ventral surface is of a greyish- 
blue tint and so glossy that it is beautifully iridescent when viewed 
obliquely. This snake, too, is verv spiteful when first caught, but, 
like the others already mentioned, it soon ceases to resent being 
handled if properly treated. It is tolerably hardy in captivity, but 
its colouration is the chief factor in its popularity as a vivarium 
specimen. Young mice and lizards are its favourite food (2 to 3 feet). 
Bull Snake. — This reptile comes from North America where it 
feeds f.ir the most part on rats and birds. It derives its strange 
name from its supposed power of bellowing like a bull. This, like 
most popular notions concerning snakes, is probably a myth. In 
colour it is usually creamy blotched with lar^e irregular patches of 
dark brown. It is very hardy and, in spite of its large size and great 
strength, is quite good-tempered. Sometimes this reptile is known 
as the Pine Snake {3 to 5 feet). 
Smooth Snake.— This little reptile, which seldom exceeds two 
feet, is the rarest of Britain’s three ophidians. [Of course, like all 
other snakes, it is absent from Ireland). Its discovery in these 
Islands was of comparatively recent date and since then it has been 
captured in several of the British counties. The New Forest seems 
to be its headquarters this side of the Channel, and it is exceedingly 
rare even there. However, it is fairly common, though local, on the 
Continent. At first sight it much resembles the viper, but instead of 
the single zigzag chain of markings on the back of the adder it has 
a double row of black blotches. The ground colour is dark grfey, 
and the ventral surface a bluish black. In a state of nature it feeds 
on lizards and blindworms, usually constricting them before swallow- 
ing. In captivity, where it is very hardy, it seems to refuse any 
other food (i to 2 feet). 
