The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-10-03

Oil &C W IOul 1tCL lOHS, duu Nv Is III
swampy places. often on tufts and
hummocks of grass. 1t is short,
thick snake, with rough scales. When
young it is of a greenish hUe, with
dark bands on the neck; but when old
it becomes almost black. The COM
mon water-snake OF the North IS often
called 4 moccasin, though it is not at
all like the true moccasin, and is quite
harmless.
All snakes may be divided into three
classes: those that kill by poison, those
that construct, or co around Their prey,
and those that swallow their prey alive.
Their mode of swallowing is one of the
most remarkable features of snake life,
since they often swallow creatures much
larger than themselves. 1t is rather
curious to see q slim-bodieu serpent
slowly swallowing fat frog two or
three times its diameter, and looking
after the operation like rubber tube
with base ball in its center.
In fact, all snakes have rubberlike
power of stretching. The head is very
curiously constructed. Instead of the
bones being firmly joined together as
in other animals, they are held together
by elastic Hgaments. These readily
stretch. so that the bones cap be pulled
apart. and the OPENING of the laws
greatly wideued. 1t is the same with
the body 1t has great stretching pow
crs, and can easily hold something of a
diameter several times larger than its
own. But the stories that are some
times told of the great tropical boas
swallowing oxen or other large animals
need not be believed. In these travel
ers' stories there is shown power of
stretching which beats that of any
snake.
No one need believe the story that
the snake licks its prey all over, and
covers it with a Shiny substance before
attempting to swallow it Snakes have
a great Tow of saliva and their food
when taken into the mouth is quickly
covered with Il Shiny substance which
makes it more easily swallowed.
The SNAKES mouth has six rows of
long. fine teeth, curved inward, winch
are not suited to cut or bite, but are
good at holding on. When a FROG,
mouse or bird is caught, it is worked
into the mouth. the teeth letting it en-
ter easily. but not letting it out again.
The sly bones which bear the teeth each
moves separately. and each keeps loos-
ing its hold and TAX no new hold fur
ther out, so that the prey is steadily
drawn back by this act We motion.
The bodies OF all snakes are covered
with scales. These help them in their
movement by the frict on of their edges
with the ground. But the main moving
organs are the ribs. OF these some
snakes have as many Us three hundred
pairs, all movable and able to press back
ward through the kin upon the ground.
As to the power of snakes 20 charm
other animals this needs veto be proved.
1t is well known that many animals
become motjonlcss and helpless when
seriously frightened and what is usually
charming is probably this effect of
fright. The wonderful stories of bird
charming by snakes are no doubt lit
tie embellished to make them seem
more remarkable. 1t is possible that
the effect is something like what we
call mesmerism, or animal magnetism.
Snakes are divided by some writers
into five classes-the burrowing, the
ground, the tree, the fresh-water and
the sea-snakes The burrowers live
mainly underground. They have a short,
stiff body, with firm, close-set scales,
and live on worms and slugs, etc. Tho