PREFACE

There is no work in the English language dealing with the Reptiles of Europe. I have therefore endeavoured to supply this desideratum, so far as the Snakes are concerned, by drawing up in a concise form an account of what is known of their characters, their distribution, and their life-histories. Professor Sordelli, of Milan, having kindly acceded to my request to reproduce some of the beautiful figures drawn by him for the work published in collaboration with the late Professor Jan under the title of “Iconographie Générale des Ophidiens,” I have been able to supplement my descriptions with illustrations which leave nothing to be desired from the point of view of accuracy. A few drawings have been made specially for this book by Mr. J. Green. I have further to acknowledge the permission given by the Trustees of the British Museum, the India Office, and the Zoological Society, to reproduce a few figures from previous publications of which I am the author.

In order to render this little book more useful, the account of the Snakes of Europe has been preceded by an Introduction summarizing what is known of Snakes generally.

I have purposely avoided overburdening a work of this kind, which aims at concision, with bibliographical references and synonymic lists. I am sure my readers will be thankful for being spared this display of erudition. Whenever I have had to compile, and to trespass on ground that is not my own, I have been careful to draw only from the writings of the most trustworthy authorities. The descriptions of the species are based on the collection in the British Museum, which has been considerably increased since the publication of the Catalogue of Snakes (1893-1896). I have also had access to Monsieur F. Lataste’s rich private collection, now under my care, and Dr. R. Gestro has kindly entrusted to me for study the collection of Italian Snakes in the Genoa Museum. I am indebted to Dr. L. W. Sambon for the chapter on Parasites, which he has written at my request.

To all who have helped me I beg to tender my hearty thanks.

G. A. B.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTERPAGE

I.Definition and Classification1

II.External Characters—Integument8

III.Coloration29

IV.Skeleton40

V.Dentition53

VI.Poison Apparatus—Different Kinds of Poisons62

VII.Nervous System-Sense Organs73

VIII.Viscera77

IX.Organs of Reproduction; Pairing; Oviposition; Development82

X.Habits91

XI.Parasites107

XII.Distribution118

XIII.Snakes in Relation to Man133

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SNAKES

OF EUROPE

First Family: TYPHLOPIDÆ

Genus TYPHLOPS, Schneider144

1.Typhlops vermicularis, Merrem—The Greek Blind-Snake144

Second Family: BOIDÆ

Genus ERYX, Daudin147

2.Eryx jaculus, Linnæus—The Javelin Sand-Boa147

Third Family: COLUBRIDÆ

Genus TROPIDONOTUS, Kuhl152

3.Tropidonotus natrix, Linnæus—The Grass-Snake,

or Ring-Snake152

4.Tropidonotus tessellatus, Laurenti—The Tessellated

Water-Snake160

5.Tropidonotus viperinus, Latreille—The Viperine

Water-Snake165

Genus ZAMENIS, Wagler170

6.Zamenis gemonensis, Laurenti—The European Whip-Snake170

7.Zamenis dahlii, Fitzinger—Dahl’s Whip-Snake177

8.Zamenis hippocrepis, Linnæus—The Horseshoe Whip-Snake179

Genus COLUBER, Linnæus181

9.Coluber quatuorlineatus, Lacepède—Aldrovandi’s Snake182

10.Coluber dione, Pallas—The Dione Snake185

11.Coluber longissimus, Laurenti—The Æsculapian Snake187

12.Coluber leopardinus, Bonaparte—The Leopard Snake191

13.Coluber scalaris, Schinz—The Ladder Snake194

Genus CORONELLA, Laurenti196

14.Coronella austriaca, Laurenti—The Smooth Snake197

15.Coronella girondica, Daudin—The Southern Smooth Snake202

Genus CONTIA, Baird and Girard205

16.Contia modesta, Martin—The Dwarf Snake205

Genus CŒLOPELTIS, Wagler207

17.Cœlopeltis monspessulana, Hermann—The Montpellier Snake208

Genus MACROPROTODON, Guichenot212

18.Macroprotodon cucullatus, I. Geoffroy—The False

Smooth Snake213

Genus TARBOPHIS, Fleischmann216

19.Tarbophis fallax, Fleischmann—The Cat-Snake217

20.Tarbophis iberus, Eichwald—The Caucasian Cat-Snake219

Fourth Family: VIPERIDÆ

Genus VIPERA, Laurenti221

21.Vipera ursinii, Bonaparte—Orsini’s Viper221

22.Vipera renardi, Christoph—Renard’s Viper227

23.Vipera berus, Linnæus—The Northern Viper, or Adder230

24.Vipera aspis, Linnæus—The Asp Viper239

25.Vipera latastii, Bosca—Lataste’s Viper247

26.Vipera ammodytes, Linnæus—The Sand-Viper, or

Long-Nosed Viper249

27.Vipera lebetina, Linnæus—The Blunt-Nosed Viper, or Kufi257

Genus ANCISTRODON, Palisot de Beauvois261

28.Ancistrodon halys, Pallas—Pallas’s Pit-Viper262

Index265

LIST OF PLATES

PLATEFACING PAGE

I.Typhlops vermicularis, Eryx jaculus144

II.Tropidonotus natrix and Vars. cettii and persa152

III.Tropidonotus tessellatus, T. viperinus and

var. aurolineatus160

IV.Zamenis gemonensis and vars. persica and

viridiflavus170

V.Zamenis gemonensis, var. caspius, Z. dahlii,

Z. hippocrepis176

VI.Coluber quatuorlineatus and var. sauromates,

C. dione182

VII.Coluber longissimus, C. leopardinus and

var. quadrilineatus188

VIII.Coluber scalaris194

IX.Coronella austriaca196

X.Coronella girondica, Contia modesta202

XI.Cœlopeltis monspessulana, Macroprotodon

cucullatus, Tarbophis iberus, T. fallax208

XII.Vipera ursinii, V. renardi, V. berus220

XIII.Vipera aspis, V. latastii240

XIV.Vipera lebetina, V. ammodytes, Ancistrodon halys250

THE SNAKES OF EUROPE

INTRODUCTION