The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1870-02-25

BLOOMSBURG. Pa. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1870.
The Locomotion of the Serpent.

It Is said-and In one sense it Is true
that serpents have no limbs; but
some of the boas and pythons have at
the base of the tail, on each side of the
vent, a little hook, which is supported
by bone imbedded In the flesh and
this rudimentary limb is no doubt the
insignificant representative of the hind
er leg of the ordinary quadruped, and
of our own lower limb; just as the nip
pies of the male mammalia answer to
the fully developed breasts of the
female; and just as our eye-teeth cor
respond to the canine tusks of the lion.
Nor is the serpent restricted to
single method of progression, or even
to two or three. There are even four or
| five distinct ways in which its 1.-THE and
slender body may be used. The slow
est, but least conspicuous, is the stealthy
glide of retreat, when you can scarcely
perceive movement Of any one part,
and yet the whole body does advance
steadily; but If you have the courage
to place your hand quietly in the SER
pent's path, and allow it to pass over it
you will perceive sensation as of a
series of dull edges, like those of paper
knives, striking the hand backward.
Each edge is that of one of the broad
overlapping scales, or "scutes," which
cover the belly of the snake, and each
scute is moved forward and backward
by corresponding pair of ribs, OF
which there are from one hundred to
two hundred and fifty in different spec
les; and so, though completely covered
by skin, and capable of but slight indi.
vidual motion, each pair of ribs is pail
of legs, and each scute is single foot
which slips forward without hindrance
but whose hinder edge catches upon tn,
, least inequality, and SO serves as poin
of resistance by which the body il
, pushed forward a little. And this little
e multiplied by the hundred pair of ribs
r is enough to propel the snake slowly
but steadily onward, and in a straigh
: line.
e The above arrangement of the scut,
also enables the serpent to move in sew
$ eral ways, in which the ribs are les
| directly, or at any rate less indi
: vidually concerned; for the backward
e projecting edges hinder movement il
: any other than forward direction
}. whether the serpent merely fixes on
It region of the body and then drags tn
" others after it, or throws itself into vel
r. tical or lateral undulations, by the SUI
n cessive Strengthening of which mor
r rapid movement is affected. The grea
/. est speed is attained when it elevate
the body in lofty arch, and then pre-
o jects the head forward, draws up TIL
!. tail, and repeats its steps, after the fasl
n ion of the so-called geometer or mea
d uring caterpillers.
nt 1t is commonly believed that son
serpents can take the tail in the mou
ce and roll along like hoop, but no SUI
proceeding is scientifically describe
ne Many species, however, may spring
@. suddenly uncoiling themselves into
tv nearly erect position, and using the tt
of as a point of resistance. The rapid
of this movement is less remarkat
than its precision, when ii is consider
that every change in the position
any part of the spiral must tend to afit
n the position of the head. .-Harpel
h. Magazine.