The Somerset reporter., 1893-12-18
SNAKES PLAY DEAD.
A TRICK PaAcTlcED BY THE "elOW-
ING VlPERS.n

tense of killing Themselves-Conclu-
sions of "A Scientific Gentleman Who Has
Made q study of snakeoIogy.
For long time have desired infor-
nation from others about a common
trick of the ordinary blowing viper "
or spreadhead snake (heterodon, IN sew
eral species). have observed that such
animals when much worried or slight
/ iy hurt will frequently feign death.
This habit has doubtless been often re-
ported before, but do not recall having
seen definite mention of it in print but
once. Several months ago some one
writing about snakes in a daily news
paper alluded to this matter, and gave
as an explanation the offhand statement
that the snake became frightened and
tainted from fear" That this is not
the explanation will, think, appear
from what | have noted about several
cases that came under my own observa-
ton.
The first time | ever noticed this be-
bavior on the part of "a snake was when
| was a child. At that time | was one
day crossing field, accompanied by an
old negro man and small dog. The
dog found common black spreadhead,
and without actually taking hold of it
began to worry it by running around
it, swapping at it and barking, Anxious
to save my friend the dog--from what
| supposed was deadly peril, | struck
the snake with the only weapon quickly
available. a small whip carried in my
hand. The snake Immediately elected
toad it had recently swallowed, then
appeared to bite itself i'll the side, and
promptly turned on its back and stiff
ened, but did not become stretched
straight out, and lay perfectly still.
There was not even wisgle in its tail
when pinched. Believing, as | then
did, that all snakes We're venomous.
supposed this one had killed himself,
and 1emarking that he seemed dead
enough, | was on the point of leaving
him. But the old negro said "Oh,
no! If you leave them when they bite
themselves, then their mates come along
and lick the bite, and they come TO.
So | smashed the snake head in a
way that no amount of licking would
ever heal. The old man evidently
knew by some means that snakes
which appeared thus to commit suicide
would recover. and knowing no real eX-
PLANTATION of why they should he in
vented one. Therein he followed the
example of more eminent men than
himself Before | again noticed such
action by snake had studied zoology
a little, and had learned that the spread
head was said to be nonvenomous.
Consequ 'ntly when | next met one and
began to cultivate a closer acquaint-
ance with him, and he seemed after Il
time to kill himself, | was much sur
prised, and began to investigate his
mouth to see if he did not have poison
turned himself on his bacl; and was lying
rigid in that position. In the course of
my investigations | turned him over,
right side up, again. He was play
ing dead so earnestly that he could not
lie in so lifelike IA position, but immedi-
ately turned himself on his back again.
Then of course | knew that a snake
which was 700 dead to stay in the po-
sition IN which placed him WAS too
alive to be very badly hurt. | deter
mined to watch him. Accordingly | re-
moved him to u smooth, clear place and
then Withdrew to little distance to
quietly watch developments. In about
= tha ~ sod
his head and two or three inches of hls
body and looked around. If he saw me,
he failed to recognize me, and i'll IA few
seconds had turned himslef over and
was making off. When | advanced
quickly toward him. he redoubled his
efforts to escape, but was easily cap
tured. He did not, at that time, again
play pessum.
Often since then | have watched them
go through this pretended suicide Usu-
ally when becoming active again. they
behave like the one just described, but
occasionally when they find themselves
overtaken AS they are making off, they
will again at once feign death. Some
times while playing dead, if one is
SHARPLY pf,cheu WIN iieeuie or o'nel
Mi7e aou'eiy s'''iiu'''e'.' ie VIII pio1ip'-
y resume ms interest III surrounding
Things anu ei'''ei siio" hsh' Vi ny "
escape.
oooasioiiaii, "heii i nave spohe'i "
i,ieiiuS ABOUT 'n's matter anu 'hey nave
shown disposition to regard my state
menus as SNAKE Stories, III 'ne popular