This paper sets out to give an account of the common snakes of East Africa. Hopefully, it will stimulate an interest in these remarkable reptiles which should be respected, but not feared, and certainly not destroyed on sight without compassion, or comprehension of their extraordinary way of life. It is nearly 50 years since our Society published the first list of East African Snakes, Loveridge (1924). At that time, 54 genera containing 138 species were recorded from the four territories, Uganda, Kenya, Tanganyika and Zanzibar. The latest East African checklist records 55 genera and 125 full species, Loveridge (1957). As the distribution and geographical variation of the different species becomes better understood, it is expected that the number of species in each genus will be further reduced, although new subspecies may be discovered. I have selected, for my present account, the kinds of snakes likely to be seen in the more populated parts of the Kenya and Tanzania upland areas, including the most popular National Parks near the border of the two countries. These are, in effect, the common snakes of East Africa.