Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-30
SOME FACTS ABOUT SNAKES.
Marked Cannibalistic Preferences Are
Displayed by Certain Species.

From the London Spectator.
One OF the strange. or, as some deem 1t,
unnatural. features in snake history Is that
the principal food of certain species is
other snakes. The feeling to the habit
being unnatural arises from the general
knowledge of the fact that carniverous
animals seldom kill and eat other carnivora.
BY very curious chance. II 1t is chance.
and not part of the order of nature among
the snakes, two out of the three English
serpents live mainly. If not on snakes. on
other snakelike creatures. The favorlte
food both of the smooth snake and of the
adder is the slowworm. which. though a
lizard, is in appearance nothing but
snake The smooth snake is believed to
live mainly on slowworms and lizards. Its
range, which Is very limited, and Is steadily
decreasing. seems to depend almost
tirely on the presence of lizards.
Writing in 1880. A. L. Baldry said: LAS
lived for some years at Bournemouth. in
Hampshire. formerly its chief habitat, 1
have had many opportunities of observing
the coronella Chat is, the smooth snake)
In the year 1868 Bournemouth was but a
very small village. surrounded by a large
expanse of moorland, intersected by marshy
valleys. and was. famous hunting ground
for either naturtlists or entomologists At
this time the coronella was extraordinarily
abundant During the very hot weather
of the summer of 1868 these snakes were
to be seen literally in scores. Since then
their numbers have gradually decreased"
The favorite haunt of the coronella is a
dry. sandy hillside overgrown with short
meath, gorse and coarse grass. and sloping
down to a marshy valley. where water is
at all times obtainable. There, on some
bare patch Of sand. the snake lies loosely
coiled, and basks IN the sun and there IL
can, When thirsty ter wit
great expenditure of energy. Among the
undergrowth 1t can also at any time find
Its prey. the common lizard. Very seldom
does any one have the chance to watch
an English snake hunting and feeding
They do this very seldom, for a meal of
some animal such a lizard or a slow
worm. or. In the case Of the viper young
pro, a mouse or young water rat may
suffice them for week or a fortnight
The following interesting description OF
the manner of hunting of the smooth snake
Is given by MIR. Baldry: AS soon as il sees
Its victim within easy reach # slowly ap-
proaches, keeping Its body concealed but
slightly raising its head above the heather
and coarse grass. When 1t gets within
striking distance. after remaining motion
less for few seconds, Ii darts suddenly
and with the quickness of thought at the
throat or the helpless lizard. II its aim is
successIui the snake Instantly grasps with
It's tail a stem of heather or tuft OF grass
ana proceeds a once to the enjoyment of
It's meal 1t first gradually shifts its hold
from the throat to the snout of the lizard
by slow and almost imperceptibIe deprees
When once ii has the lizards head fairly
IN It's Jaws the process of swallowing is
rapid. and the strong protests of its victim
are unavailing. as the snake, with its tail
hhotteo round The grass. is able to over
come all resistance. In this way II will dis
pose OF lizard as large round as Itself
and two-thirds Of It's length"
though vfperS are very abundant II, MANI
parts both of England and Scotland tbara
Is no such general feeling against them as
causing injury to fiocks as IS cr,rren, ~,
the SWISS mountains. Doubtless they are
there very mischevous to lambs and kids
IN England no shepherd ever reckons The
viper as among his natural enemies ex
cept on the Cheviot Hills. On those green
mountains. swarming with sheep, the in
Jury debited to the vipers has led TO tbe
survival OF very ancient race Of ouIte
"l4o goats These goats, correctly or not
are believed to kill numbers of vipers. and
consequently no shepherd or farmer ever
Kills one. or sees one shot as is occa sionallv
done, without regret. No one knows how
long these goats have continued to exist
as privileged animals owing to their re-
puted usefulness; but the keeping of
sheep became possible on the border after
the union of England and Scotland had
made property safe, the breed may have an
antiquity OF nearly three centuries
There Is very marked difference between
the effects of a viper's bite and those of
the sting or wasp or hornet. The means
or introducing the poison IS the same in
each case-puncture with a hollow point
But while the pain from the insects stings
Is instant and acute. that from the viper's
bite Is at first no more than Is caused by
the prick of the tooth Numbness great
drowsiness and then swelling and aching
follow. The reason is that the poison in
Jected by the wasp or hornet is formic acid
But in the viper's reservoir above the tooth
is a far more deadly secretion the effect of
which is paralyzng. Some five cases in all
are on record Of children dying from the
bite of yipera The DDiS0u OF fire he
heart. depressing It's action and causing
fatnting. Latersit causes general blood
poisoning OF the part affected There is no
doubt that the bite would paralyZe a small
rat In a few minutes, and that the deaths
of sheep and cattle and dogs from 'un-
known causes" are often due to vipers Mr..
Leighton notes that in Herefordshre
young bullock was found dead with an ad-
der curled up beside 1t In the summer of
1900.