The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1885-10-03

bands. III IS mostly lOunu Ill IOChy
situations and feeds on birds, frogs,
toads and the like small game.
The only other poisonous snake in
the Middle and Eastern States is the
copperhead This creature is seldom
more than three feet long, is very slen-
der, and rather pretty. 1t is of n pale
red color, with row of dark brown
spots on the back. The head is of
color something like copper 1t lives
in rocky places, and grows scarcer the
farther north we 90.
The moccasin seems to be only found
in the Southern States 1t is from
three to four feet long, and lives in
swampy places often on tufts and
hummocks of grass. 1t is short,
thick snake, with rough scales When
young it is of 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 a 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 coil 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 slim-bodied serpent
slowly swallowing n fat frog two or
three times its diameter, and looking
after the operation like a rubber tube
with a base ball in its center.
In fact, all snakes have a rubber-like
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 ligaments. These readily
t stretch, so that the bones can be pulled
apart, and the opening of the jaws
greatly widened. 1t is the same with
the body 1t has great stretching pow
ers, 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
7 ers' stories there is shown power of
stretching which beats that of any
snake.
: No one need believe the story that
the snake ticks its prey all over, and
l covers it with Shiny substance before
t attempting to swallow it. Snakes have
| great flow of saliva, and their food
when taken into the mouth is quickly
covered with a Shiny substance which
9 makes it more easily swallowed.
1-.1, 4, ,,,x- sNf
t long, fine teeth, curved inward, which
t 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.
s The six bones which bear the teeth each
: moves separately, and each keeps loos-
+ ing its hold and taking new hold fur
G Their out, so that the prey is steadily
: drawn back by this active motion.
The bodies of all snakes are covered
It with scales. These help them in their
n movement by the friction of their edges
+ with the ground But the main moving
c organs are the ribs. Of these some
h snakes have as many as three hundred
: pairs, all movable and able to press back
II ward through the skin upon the ground.
e AS to the power of snakes 20 charm
d other animals this needs yetto be proved.
d 1t is well known that many animals
become motonless and helpless when
h seriously frightened, and what is usually
It charming is probably this effect of
e fright. The wonderful stories of bird
II charming by snakes are no doubt a lit
s tie embellished to make them seem
more remarkable 1t is possible that
s the effect is something like what we
h call mesnerism, or animal magnetism.
# Snakes are divided by some writers
e into five classes-the burrowing, the
e ground, the tree, the fresh-water and
J, the sea-snakes. The borrowers live
e mainly underground. They have short,
!, stiff body, with firm, clOse-set scales,
10 and live on worms and slugs, etc. The
e tree-snakes are small-sized, swift-mov-
If ing creatures, often bright green in
s. color. Many of them can swing down.
), ward by the tail when seeking their ia
e vorite food of eggs young birds Some
1, of them are poisonous. The ground
r snakes comprise far the greater number,
't and are those best known. Though
ordinarily living on the ground, they
is frequently take to trees or TO the water.
lie The true water-snakes are small in size
'r and harmless, though poisonous ground
e. snakes often frequent the water.
d Snakes are very fond of milk, though
u they do not milk COWS, as has been as.
Is serted. They are also fond of eggs, and
u there is a story of cobra having en-
y tered hen-house through chink and
10 swallowed so many eggs that he could
y not get out again. The robber was
III slain, the eggs placed under the her
$ again, and duly Matched out as if moth
IN ing had happened.
IIG9 On an average, snakes sleep half the
III year, while the green garter SNAKE
IL of the United States sleeps eight month,
ey out of the twelve. Charles Norris, il
i Hdrper'S Young People.