The Snakes of Europe

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

	CHAPTER	PAGE

I.	Definition and Classification	1

II.	External Characters—Integument	8

III.	Coloration	29

IV.	Skeleton	40

V.	Dentition	53

VI.	Poison Apparatus—Different Kinds of Poisons	62

VII.	Nervous System-Sense Organs	73

VIII.	Viscera	77

IX.	Organs of Reproduction; Pairing; Oviposition; Development	82

X.	Habits	91

XI.	Parasites	107

XII.	Distribution	118

XIII.	Snakes in Relation to Man	133

SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SNAKES
OF EUROPE

First Family: TYPHLOPIDÆ

	Genus TYPHLOPS, Schneider	144

1.	Typhlops vermicularis, Merrem—The Greek Blind-Snake	144

Second Family: BOIDÆ

	Genus ERYX, Daudin	147

2.	Eryx jaculus, Linnæus—The Javelin Sand-Boa	147

Third Family: COLUBRIDÆ

	Genus TROPIDONOTUS, Kuhl	152

3.	Tropidonotus natrix, Linnæus—The Grass-Snake,
	or Ring-Snake	152

4.	Tropidonotus tessellatus, Laurenti—The Tessellated
	Water-Snake	160

5.	Tropidonotus viperinus, Latreille—The Viperine
	Water-Snake	165

	Genus ZAMENIS, Wagler	170

6.	Zamenis gemonensis, Laurenti—The European Whip-Snake	170

7.	Zamenis dahlii, Fitzinger—Dahl’s Whip-Snake	177

8.	Zamenis hippocrepis, Linnæus—The Horseshoe Whip-Snake	179

	Genus COLUBER, Linnæus	181

9.	Coluber quatuorlineatus, Lacepède—Aldrovandi’s Snake	182

10.	Coluber dione, Pallas—The Dione Snake	185

11.	Coluber longissimus, Laurenti—The Æsculapian Snake	187

12.	Coluber leopardinus, Bonaparte—The Leopard Snake	191

13.	Coluber scalaris, Schinz—The Ladder Snake	194

	Genus CORONELLA, Laurenti	196

14.	Coronella austriaca, Laurenti—The Smooth Snake	197

15.	Coronella girondica, Daudin—The Southern Smooth Snake	202

	Genus CONTIA, Baird and Girard	205

16.	Contia modesta, Martin—The Dwarf Snake	205

	Genus CŒLOPELTIS, Wagler	207

17.	Cœlopeltis monspessulana, Hermann—The Montpellier Snake	208

	Genus MACROPROTODON, Guichenot	212

18.	Macroprotodon cucullatus, I. Geoffroy—The False
	Smooth Snake	213

	Genus TARBOPHIS, Fleischmann	216

19.	Tarbophis fallax, Fleischmann—The Cat-Snake	217

20.	Tarbophis iberus, Eichwald—The Caucasian Cat-Snake	219

Fourth Family: VIPERIDÆ

	Genus VIPERA, Laurenti	221

21.	Vipera ursinii, Bonaparte—Orsini’s Viper	221

22.	Vipera renardi, Christoph—Renard’s Viper	227

23.	Vipera berus, Linnæus—The Northern Viper, or Adder	230

24.	Vipera aspis, Linnæus—The Asp Viper	239

25.	Vipera latastii, Bosca—Lataste’s Viper	247

26.	Vipera ammodytes, Linnæus—The Sand-Viper, or
	Long-Nosed Viper	249

27.	Vipera lebetina, Linnæus—The Blunt-Nosed Viper, or Kufi	257

	Genus ANCISTRODON, Palisot de Beauvois	261

28.	Ancistrodon halys, Pallas—Pallas’s Pit-Viper	262

	Index	265

LIST OF PLATES

	PLATE	FACING PAGE

I.	Typhlops vermicularis, Eryx jaculus	144

II.	Tropidonotus natrix and Vars. cettii and persa	152

III.	Tropidonotus tessellatus, T. viperinus and
	var. aurolineatus	160

IV.	Zamenis gemonensis and vars. persica and
	viridiflavus	170

V.	Zamenis gemonensis, var. caspius, Z. dahlii,
	Z. hippocrepis	176

VI.	Coluber quatuorlineatus and var. sauromates,
	C. dione	182

VII.	Coluber longissimus, C. leopardinus and
	var. quadrilineatus	188

VIII.	Coluber scalaris	194

IX.	Coronella austriaca	196

X.	Coronella girondica, Contia modesta	202

XI.	Cœlopeltis monspessulana, Macroprotodon
	cucullatus, Tarbophis iberus, T. fallax	208

XII.	Vipera ursinii, V. renardi, V. berus	220

XIII.	Vipera aspis, V. latastii	240

XIV.	Vipera lebetina, V. ammodytes, Ancistrodon halys	250

THE SNAKES OF EUROPE

INTRODUCTION

The Snakes of Europe

About This Book

PREFACE