The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-02-15
SNAKES SWALLOW THEIR YOUNG
Some Stories Illustrating the Habit
 in Different Species.

I
 in Different Species.
 There has been a controversy for
 years among naturalists relative to the
 question: Do snakes swallow their
 young? And there are many professors
 of herpetology at the present day who ridicule the idea. I have been cognizant
 of the fact for over fifty years When a boy l began my studies in herpetol- ogy, and was not satisfied with know ing the names of four reptiles, but
 sought them in the fields and swamps and forests. I learned much of their
 habits, and from time to time kept them in confinement, and have reared
 many. Professor G. Brown Geode, of
 the Smithsonian Institute, read very
 interesting paper on the subject before the American Association for the Ad-
 vancement of Science, at Portland, Me, in August, 1873 which ought to have settled the question.
 | The first time this came under my notice was in July, 1880. I was roaming over the fields, when I saw a good sized garter snake (Eutaenia sirtalis) very near me, and with numerous young ones around her. As approach ed her she placed her head flat on the ground, opening her mouth, and mak- ing peculiar noise; the little ones evil dently understood, for they all ran into her oesophagus I picked her up by the neck and put her in bag and took her home. On examination, I found I had about twenty snakes, including the mother. They were kept together in a box and when I told the story to my friends they ridiculed me. It was not long, however, before every person in the house was convinced of the truth of my assertions, from witnessing the fact themselves.
 I met with a curious incident some years ago while hunting snakes in the swamps at Melrose I came across a male and female striped snake, with numerous young ones. The parents were near each other, the family crawl ing over and around them. I was going for them, when, on second thought, I concluded to watch them. They did not appear frightened, but went on gam boiling about for some time. I went little nearer, when both snakes turned toward me, making faint noise, plac- ed their heads flat on the ground and received the young as stated before. It was a curious sight to see these young snakes not long born, some of them a foot or two away, turn at the noise, and instantly seek refuge. I am certain it was a note of warning of danger. caught both snakes and put them in separate bags. The female had ten young and the male had swallowed five. y1,t.. ;no ota of nntioa of a male snake performing this affec- tionate duty for it's young. I placed the whole family in box, where they lived l peaceably for long time.
 MT. Julian Hooper and myself en- countered a large water snake co. sipedon) on the banks of small pond | in Durham Swamp. I was about to capture her, when we saw a number of | young entering her mouth, and before I | could strike her she entered the pond. | I immediately swept the pond with my | net and in two or three minutes cap- tured her, but an examination could find no young. She had evidently in that short space of time deposited them under some tussock in the bank out of harms way. What instinct for the of her young!
 have also seen the Eutaenia saurita, Teterodon platyrhinos, and the Crotalus horrida perform this act for their young. Some rattlesnakes kept in con- finement frequently did the same with their progeny when frightened. The beating of drum near the case seemed to terrify the old ones so that at the first tap they would secrete the young In the oesophagus and vibrate their tails furiously, and they would not re- lease the little ones till the noise ceas- ed. could relate numerous instances I have seen when diffent species of snakes have thus protected their the Forest and Stream.
 CA5To RIA.
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