62 Seupents. REPTILES. Colubkine Serpents. 
occasionally met with in dung-heaps, &c. In England, 
with the exception of the little common lizard, it is the 
most ahnndant of all our true reptiles It inhabits all 
our woods, heaths, and hedgerows, especially in the 
neighbourhood of water, where it tinds the principal 
part of its food. This consists chiefly of frogs and 
other batrachians and fishes, though it also eats small 
birds and their eggs, mice, lizards, insects, and worms. 
Frogs, however, in this country, appear to he its 
favourite diet. In temperate climates the Einged 
Snake becomes torpid during winter. When the 
temperature falls, it seeks some deep hole in the 
ground where the cold is not able to penetrate, and 
there it remains, often in company with several 
others, till the genial warmth of spring brings it forth 
again. In the month of April it changes its skin, 
and this process may be repeated several times during 
the summer. It is easily tamed, and may be made 
to distinguish those who caress and feed it. It con- 
tracts habits of great gentleness. Mr. Bell says that 
he had one which knew him from all other persons, 
and that when let out of his box would go to him and 
crawl under the sleeve of liis coat, where it seemed 
to enjoy the warmth. It used also to come to his 
hand for a drauglit of milk every morning at breakfast, 
which it always did of its own accord ; but it flew from 
strangers, and hissed if they meddled with it. This 
serpent is truly oviparous, depositing its eggs a con- 
siderable time, generally three weeks, before they are 
hatched. This process takes place by the heat of the 
sun, or the artificial warmth of a dung-heap, in which 
the mother often places them. The eggs are generally 
laid about the month of August, are usually from six- 
teen to twenty in number, and are connected together 
by glutinous matter. 
Family IV.— TKUE SNAKES {Coluhridce). 
The species of this family are about forty-six in 
number, and are chiefly natives of Europe, India, and 
America. Almost all of them attain a considerable 
size, measuring generally four or five feet in length, 
though individuals occasionally occur that reach from 
seven to eight. 
The True Snakes are terrestrial animals, living prin- 
cipally upon the ground, and only taking to the water 
when compelled. The greater number climb with 
ease upon shrubs and branches of trees, where they 
remain lying in wait for their prey. Some inhabit 
marshy countries; others frequent large woods and 
forests ; whilst there are others again which prefer 
open, dry, and sandy localities. Their food consists of 
small mammalia, birds, and reptiles. There are several 
species found living in Europe. 
THE SERPENT OF ESCUIAPIUS {Coluber Esculapii) 
is one of the most remarkable, and is perhaps the 
best known. “ The ancient Greeks,” says Schlegel, 
“ adored the god of medicine in dilferent places and 
under very dilferent forms. They gave to him, as his 
attribute, a serpent, the emblem of wisdom, and so 
renowned for its healing qualities, that several Greek 
tribes took the serpent for the god himself. It was 
particularly at Epidaurus, a flourishing town of Pelo- 
ponnesus, that the inhabitants erected, in a sacred 
wood frequented by snakes, a magnificent temple in 
honour of these reptiles. The Homans, terrified by a 
dreadful pestilence which ravaged their capital in the 
year 461, sent an embassy from Rome to Epidaurus 
to inquire for this imaginary deity — one which they 
might have found in abundance in their own country. 
The island formed by the Tiber was the place where 
these serpents were kept, and where the figure of one 
sculptured in marble may still be seen in the gardens 
of St. Bartholomew.” Chandler, in his travels, tells 
us that the neighbourhood of Epidaurus abounds at 
the present time with harmless serpents, which are of 
gentle habits, and are not molested by the inhabitants. 
And though those described by him are of a yellow 
colour, and may therefore not be this species, yet this 
serpent is one of the most widely distributed of all the 
genus to which it belongs, and inhabits the greater part 
of Europe. It is found in Austria, Hungary, Dal- 
matia, Italy, France, and the southern parts of Swit" 
zerland. In the neighbourhood of Rome it is called 
Saettone. It attains a considerable size, reaching from 
four to five feet in length. The Iiody is rather com- 
pressed, the belly somewhat angular, the tail of mode- 
rate dimensions, thick at the base and pointed at the 
extremity. The scales of the trunk aie of a rhorn- 
boidal form, of moderate size, and generally smooth, 
though on the hinder parts of the body they are slightly 
keeled. The head is scarcely distinct from the neck, 
is of an oblong shape, and has the muzzle somewhat 
conical, blunt, and rounded. The upper parts are of 
a more or less deep uniform brownish gray, the under 
parts yellowish or marbled with gray. The lips, and a 
large spot on the neck, forming with that of the oppo- 
site side a kind of collar, are of a pale yellow, becom- 
ing effaced, however, in old individuals. This serpent 
is very nimble in its movements, and readily climbs up 
trees, but never takes to the water except when com- 
pelled. It is ovij)arous. Its food consists of frogs, 
lizards, and small birds ; but in a state of captivity it 
will never take any sustenance. When attacked it 
defends itself with boldness and vigour, but a few days 
are sufficient to render it tame. Schlegel tells us that 
there used to be always a number of these serpents 
kept alive at the museum in Vienna, and that they had 
such gentle habits that they allowed themselves to 
be caressed by children and played with by them for 
hours together. 
Family V.— WOOD SERPENTS {Dryadidw). 
This family comprehends a number of species that 
are intermediate between the last family, or True Ser- 
pents {Colubridce), and the long and slender Tree Ser- 
pents {Dendrophidoe). Many attain a considerable 
length, while others do not exceed two feet. They 
climb upon trees, resting on the branches in order to 
wait for their prey, and are far more at ease in such 
situations than upon the ground, upon which they 
move with much less facility. They are rather fierce 
animals, springing with surprising velocity upon their 
aggressors, and attacking them with fury. 
THE COACH-WHIP SNAKE OF NORTH AMERICA 
