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38-510: His pen name Ringelnatz is usually explained as a dialect expression for an animal, possibly a variant of Ringelnatter , German for grass snake or more probably the seahorse for winding ("ringeln") its tail around objects. The seahorse is called Ringelnass (nass = wet) by mariners, an occupation to which he felt kinship. He was a sailor in his youth and spent the First World War in the Navy on

76-491: A minesweeper . In the 1920s and 1930s, he worked as a Kabarettist , i.e., a kind of satirical stand-up comedian . He is best known for his wry poems using word play and sometimes bordering on nonsense poetry . Some of them are similar to Christian Morgenstern 's, but more satirical in tone and occasionally subversive. His most popular character is the anarchic sailor Kuddel Daddeldu with his drunken antics and disdain for authority. In his final thirteen years Ringelnatz

114-441: A day. Prey items tend to be large compared to the size of the snake, and this impairs the movement ability of the snake. Snakes that have recently eaten rarely move any significant distance and will stay in one location, basking to optimize their body temperature until the prey item has been digested. Individual snakes may only need two or three significant prey items throughout an entire season. Ecdysis occurs at least once during

152-442: A day. Prey items tend to be large compared to the size of the snake, and this impairs the movement ability of the snake. Snakes which have recently eaten rarely move any significant distance and will stay in one location, basking to optimize their body temperature until the prey item has been digested. Individual snakes may only need two or three significant prey items throughout an entire season. Ecdysis occurs at least once during

190-661: A grass snake ever drinking milk. Driven by late 19th century and 20th century Romantic nationalism , grass snake motifs in Latvia have gained a meaning of education and wisdom, and are common ornaments in the military, folk dance groups and education logos and insignia. They are also found on the Lielvārde Belt . The grass snake has also become one of the main symbols of the Lithuanian neo-pagan movement Romuva . Virgil in his 29 BC Georgics (book III, lines 425-439: [1] ) describes

228-909: A length of over a metre. The species is found in Great Britain as far north as southern Scotland , and in the Netherlands , western Germany , Switzerland , Italy and France . The nominate subspecies N. h. helvetica has the widest distribution: from Britain to the Pyrenees and the Rhine region. Barred grass snakes are semi-aquatic and prey mainly on amphibians , especially common toads and common frogs ; they also eat fish, some small land mammals and nestling birds, and may occasionally take ants and their larvae. Captive snakes have been observed taking earthworms offered by hand, but dead prey items are never taken. The snake will search actively for prey, often on

266-415: A separate species. There are currently five subspecies of Natrix helvetica recognized (having been formerly classified as subspecies of N. natrix ): The barred grass snake has a dark grey-green upper body with characteristic black barring along the flanks. The underparts are pale. It has a distinctive yellow and black collar around the neck, a feature it shares with the grass snake. It can grow to

304-413: Is a king of snakes who wears a golden crown. In some traditions the king of snakes changes every year; he drops his crown in spring and the other snakes fight for it (possibly based on the mating of grass snakes). Today grass snakes hold a meaning of house blessing among many Latvians and Lithuanians. One tradition is to put a bowl of milk near a snake's place of residence, although there is no evidence of

342-544: Is evidence individual snakes often do not need bodies of water throughout the entire season. The preferred habitat appears to be open woodland and "edge" habitat, such as field margins and woodland borders, as these may offer adequate refuge while still affording ample opportunity for thermoregulation through basking. Pond edges are also favoured and the relatively high chance of observing this secretive species in such areas may account for their perceived association with ponds and water. Grass snakes, like most reptiles, are at

380-613: Is often found near water and feeds almost exclusively on amphibians . Many subspecies are recognized, including: Natrix natrix helvetica ( Lacépède , 1789) was formerly treated as a subspecies, but following genetic analysis it was recognised in August 2017 as a separate species, Natrix helvetica , the barred grass snake . Four other subspecies were transferred from N. natrix to N. helvetica , becoming N. helvetica cettii , N. helvetica corsa , N. helvetica lanzai and N. helvetica sicula . The grass snake

418-515: Is typically dark green or brown in colour with a characteristic yellow or whitish collar behind the head, which explains the alternative name ringed snake. The colour may also range from grey to black, with darker colours being more prevalent in colder regions, presumably owing to the thermal benefits of being dark in colour. The underside is whitish with irregular blocks of black, which are useful in recognizing individuals. It can grow to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) or more in length. The grass snake

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456-575: Is widely distributed in mainland Europe, ranging from mid Scandinavia to southern Italy . It is also found in the Middle East and northwestern Africa. Grass snakes in Britain were thought to belong to the subspecies N. n. helvetica but have been reclassified as the barred grass snake Natrix helvetica . Any records of N. natrix in Britain are now considered to have originated from imported specimens. Grass snakes mainly prey on amphibians , especially

494-513: The Baltic mythology , the grass snake ( Lithuanian : žaltys , Latvian : zalktis) is seen as a sacred animal. It was frequently kept as a pet, living under a married couple's bed or in a special place near the hearth. Supposedly, snakes ate food given to them by hand. After the Christianization of Lithuania and Latvia , the grass snake still retained some mythological significance. In spite of

532-481: The common toad and the common frog , although they may also occasionally eat ants and larvae. Captive snakes have been observed taking earthworms offered by hand, but dead prey items are never taken. The snake will search actively for prey, often on the edges of the water, using sight and sense of smell (using Jacobson's organ ). They consume prey live without using constriction . Grass snakes are strong swimmers and may be found close to fresh water, although there

570-462: The serpent's symbolic meaning as a symbol of evil in Christianity, in Latvia and Lithuania there were various folk beliefs, dating even to the late 19th century, that killing grass snakes might bring grave misfortune or that an injured snake will take revenge on the offender. The ancient Baltic belief of grass snakes as household spirits transformed into a belief that there is a snake (known or not to

608-682: The Second World War; one of them at the Kunsthaus Zürich is not on display. The Ringelnatz-Museum in Cuxhaven , managed by the Ringelnatz-Stiftung (see below) shows many of his paintings. Most came from private owners, whose paintings survived World War II . Grass snake The grass snake ( Natrix natrix ), sometimes called the ringed snake or water snake , is a Eurasian semi-aquatic non- venomous colubrid snake . It

646-409: The active season. As the outer skin wears and the snake grows, the new skin forms underneath the old, including the eye scales which may turn a milky blue/white colour at this time – referred to as being 'in blue'. The blue-white colour comes from an oily secretion between the old and new skins; the snake's coloration will also look dull, as though the animal is dusty. This process affects

684-407: The active season. As the outer skin wears and the snake grows, the new skin forms underneath the old, including the eye scales which may turn a milky blue/white colour at this time—referred to as being 'in blue'. The blue-white colour comes from an oily secretion between the old and new skins; the snake's coloration will also look dull, as though the animal is dusty. This process affects the eyesight of

722-530: The edges of the water, using sight and smell (using Jacobson's organ ). They consume prey live without using constriction . Since barred grass snakes inhabit the cooler climate of northern Europe and Great Britain and live near bodies of water, they will spend a significant portion of the year hibernating, typically throughout the coldest months. Hibernation periods can begin as early as October, when temperatures start to drop, and may last until April. They will find any sort of shelter where they can seek refuge from

760-448: The eggs require a temperature of at least 21 °C (70 °F), but preferably 28 °C (82 °F), with high humidity. Areas of rotting vegetation , such as compost heaps, are preferred locations. The young are about 18 centimetres (7 in) long when they hatch and are immediately independent. After breeding in summer, barred grass snakes tend to hunt and may range widely during this time, moving up to several hundred metres in

798-439: The eyesight of the snakes and they do not move or hunt during this time; they are also, in common with most other snakes, more irritable. The outer skin is eventually sloughed in one piece (inside-out) and normal movement activity is resumed. In defence they can produce a garlic -smelling fluid from the anal glands, and feign death ( thanatosis ) by becoming completely limp when they may also secrete blood ( autohaemorrhage ) from

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836-786: The females as soon as they emerge up to two weeks later in April, or earlier if environmental temperatures are favourable. The leathery-skinned eggs are laid in batches of eight to 40 in June to July and hatch after about 10 weeks. To survive and hatch, the eggs require a temperature of at least 21 °C (70 °F), but preferably 28 °C (82 °F), with high humidity. Areas of rotting vegetation , such as compost heaps, are preferred locations. The young are about 18 centimetres (7 in) long when they hatch and are immediately independent. After breeding in summer, snakes tend to hunt and may range widely during this time, moving up to several hundred metres in

874-459: The fossil record shows that the extinct European cobra Naja romani occurs in Miocene-aged strata of France, Germany, Austria, Romania, and Ukraine and thus overlapped with Natrix species including the extinct Natrix longivertebrata , suggesting that the grass snake's behavioral mimicry of cobras is a fossil behavior, although it may protect against predatory birds which migrate to Africa for

912-484: The geographic ranges of grass snakes and of cobras overlap very little. However, the fossil record shows that the extinct European cobra Naja romani occurs in Miocene-aged strata of France, Germany, Austria, Romania, and Ukraine and thus overlapped with Natrix species including the extinct Natrix longivertebrata , suggesting that the grass snake's behavioral mimicry of cobras is a fossil behavior, although it may protect against predatory birds which migrate to Africa for

950-457: The grass snake as a large feared snake living in marshes in Calabria , eating frogs and fish. Barred grass snake The barred grass snake ( Natrix helvetica ) is a non- venomous colubrid snake from Western Europe , living in and close to water. It was included within the grass snake species, Natrix natrix , until August 2017, when genetic analysis led to its reclassification as

988-484: The grass snake shares a range with several species of venomous snakes, including Vipera aspis and Vipera berus . The species has various predator species, including corvids , storks , owls , raptors , common pheasant , foxes , and domestic cat . In Great Britain, they are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and cannot be killed, harmed, taken from the wild, kept in captivity or traded without

1026-584: The harsh weather, or may burrow underground in order to maintain a stable body temperature, and remain there during hibernation. Barred grass snakes are strong swimmers and may be found close to freshwater, although there is evidence individual snakes often do not need bodies of water throughout the entire season. The preferred habitat appears to be open woodland and "edge" habitat, such as field margins and woodland borders, as these may offer adequate refuge while still affording ample opportunity for thermoregulation through basking. Pond edges are also favoured and

1064-785: The inhabitants) living under every house; if it leaves, the house will burn down. Common Latvian folk sayings include "who kills a grass snake, kills his happiness" and "when the Saulė sees a dead grass snake, she cries for 9 days". Well-known literary works based on these traditions include Lithuanian folk tale Eglė the Queen of Serpents ( Eglė žalčių karalienė ) and the Latvian folk fairytale "The grass snake's bride" ( Zalkša līgava ). These works include another common theme in Baltic mythology: that grass snakes wear crowns (note grass snake's yellow spots) and that there

1102-416: The mercy of the thermal environment and need to overwinter in areas which are not subject to freezing. Thus, they typically spend the winter underground where the temperature is relatively stable. As spring approaches, the males emerge first and spend much of the day basking in an effort to raise body temperature and thereby metabolism. This may be a tactic to maximise sperm production, as the males mate with

1140-479: The mouth and nose. They may also perform an aggressive display in defence, hissing and striking without opening the mouth. They rarely bite in defence. When caught they often regurgitate the contents of their stomachs. Barred grass snakes display a rare defensive behavior involving raising the front of the body and flattening the head and neck so that it resembles a cobra 's hood, although the geographic ranges of grass snakes and of cobras overlap very little. However,

1178-414: The mouth and nose. They may also perform an aggressive display in defence, hissing and striking without opening the mouth. They rarely bite in defense and lack venomous fangs. When caught they often regurgitate the contents of their stomachs. Grass snakes display a rare defensive behavior involving raising the front of the body and flattening the head and neck so that it resembles a cobra 's hood, although

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1216-427: The relatively high chance of observing this secretive species in such areas may account for their perceived association with ponds and water. Barred grass snakes also inhabit gardens and parks in their native range, as well as dry grasslands. Barred grass snakes, as with most reptiles, are at the mercy of the thermal environment and need to overwinter in areas which are not subject to freezing. Thus they typically spend

1254-425: The snakes and they do not move or hunt during this time; they are also, in common with most other snakes, more aggressive. The outer skin is eventually sloughed in one piece (inside-out) and normal movement activity is resumed. In defence they can produce a garlic -smelling fluid from the anal glands, and feign death ( thanatosis ) by becoming completely limp when they may also secrete blood ( autohaemorrhage ) from

1292-402: The winter and encounter cobras there. The species has various predator species, including corvids , storks , owls and perhaps other birds of prey, foxes , and the domestic cat . In Denmark it is protected, as all five species of reptiles were protected in 1981. Two of the subspecies are considered critically endangered: N. n. cetti (Sardinian grass snake) and N. n. schweizeri . In

1330-527: The winter and encounter cobras there. However, such behaviour is not reported for the species in Britain. Another form of defensive mimicry that barred grass snakes demonstrate is the triangulation of their head. Typically, venomous snakes have more triangular heads while nonvenomous snakes’ heads tend to be more rounded. However, barred grass snakes have the ability to triangulate their heads in defense to trick potential predators into believing they are venomous and could fight back. This technique works because

1368-539: The winter underground where the temperature is relatively stable. As spring approaches, the males emerge first and spend much of the day basking in an effort to raise body temperature and thereby metabolism. This may be a tactic to maximise sperm production, as the males mate with the females as soon as they emerge up to two weeks later in April, or earlier if environmental temperatures are favourable. The leathery-skinned eggs are laid in batches of eight to 40 in June to July and hatch after about 10 weeks. To survive and hatch,

1406-664: Was also a dedicated and prolific visual artist . The bulk of his art went missing during World War II , but over 200 paintings and drawings survived. In the 1920s some of his work was exhibited at the Akademie der Künste along with that of his contemporaries Otto Dix and George Grosz . Ringelnatz illustrated his own novel called " ...liner Roma... " (1923), the title of which is a doubly truncated " Berliner Roman " (Berlin novel), for "Berlin novels usually have no decent beginning and no proper ending." ("Berliner Romane haben meist keinen ordentlichen Anfang und kein rechtes Ende.") In 1933, he

1444-517: Was banned by the Nazi government as a "degenerate artist" . Ringelnatz's widow Leonharda Pieper married Julius Gescher after Ringelnatz's death, and their son Norbert managed Ringelnatz's legacy and assembled a collection. Norbert donated the collection to the Joachim Ringelnatz Museum in Cuxhaven in 2019. Posthumously Electronic Edition Most of Ringelnatz's paintings were lost during

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