The snake represented in fig. 1 (p. 18) Dr Gadow believes to be the species known as _Coelopeltis lacertina_. It occurs from Spain to Syria and specimens of 6 ft. long are not uncommon. The creature’s head, according to Dr Gadow, is reproduced with admirable fidelity; the name _lacertina_ is due to the lizard-like, instead of snake-like, depressed head. Moreover this species is really poisonous, but only to its proper prey, e.g. mice, rats, lizards, etc., while it is practically harmless to man, on account of the position of the poison fangs, which are far back in the mouth instead of near the front. This is a somewhat exceptional arrangement and probably well known to the ancients. In fact the _Coelopeltis lacertina_ is a snake with poison that does not ordinarily strike. On occasion it could bite a man’s hand, i.e. if it opened its mouth _very_ wide, as wide as a striking cobra. This position of the dropped jaw, according to Dr Gadow, is very noticeable and must have been observed by the ancients. The angle of the dropped jaw is just that of the beard on the snake in fig. 1 (p. 18). It seems possible and even highly probable that the dropped jaw, seen at a distance, might have suggested a beard, or that an artist representing an actual dropped jaw may have been copied by another who misinterpreted the jaw into a beard. In any case the scheme of the dropped jaw would be ready to hand and would help to soften the anomaly of the bearded snake[846]. * * * * * In snake form the hero dwelt in his tomb, and to indicate this fact not uncommonly on vase-paintings we have a snake depicted on the very grave mound itself. The design in fig. 98, from a black-figured lekythos[847] in the Museum at Naples, is a good instance. The funeral mound which occupies the centre of the design is, on the original vase, white, and on it is painted a black snake; the mound itself is surmounted by a black stele: whether the vase-painter regards his snake as painted actually _outside_ the tomb or as representing the snake-hero actually resident _within_, is not easy to determine. The figure of a man on the left of the tomb with uplifted sword points probably to the taking of an oath, it may be of vengeance. [Illustration: FIG. 98.] [Illustration: FIG. 99.] In the curious design in fig. 99, from a kotylos also in the Naples Museum[848], we have again a funeral mound, again decorated with a huge snake, this time represented with dropped jaw and beard. The tomb seems to have become a sort of mantic shrine. Two men are seated watching attentively the portent of the eagle and the snake. On the reverse of the vase, to the right, the tomb-mound is decorated with a stag, and the portent is an eagle devouring a hare.