The Water Snakes 



of the opening. My friends of many rambles and snake hunts, 

 Messrs. Adam Dove and Morris Pearsall, relate amusing inci- 

 dents attending the capture of these reptiles in the lakes of Sul- 

 livan County, New York. On one occasion, while fishing for 

 pike, they approached a great mass of derelict timber and on 

 it several large water snakes were sunning. Although the snakes 

 were some twenty feet from where the bow of their boat lightly 

 touched a fallen tree trunk, the vibration was enough to send 

 the reptiles gliding into the water, where they dived at once. 

 Taking three short pieces of fish line, Mr. Dove tied each to branches 

 near the water line, and on the end of each cord securely fastened 

 a small perch, which was dropped into the water, where it hung 

 in plain view. The boat was then rowed some distance away 

 and fishing resumed. About half an hour later, an examination 

 was made of the traps. On each length of string writhed a water 

 snake which had swallowed the perch and fully six inches of 

 the twine. The strings were cut away amid frenzied efforts of 

 the snakes to shake themselves loose, when the reptiles were 

 dropped into a bag and the twine cut close to their mouths. 

 This operation was immediately succeeded by the voracious 

 reptiles, swallowing the string and fish. At no time did the idea 

 of escape by disgorging the fish appear to present itself to the 

 snakes. Many other specimens were captured in this ingenious 

 manner. 



It might be explained incidentally that the power of scent 

 is well developed with these reptiles. A cage containing a num- 

 ber of water snakes can be set in a turmoil by simply rubbing 

 a frog or fish across the bottom. The hungry reptiles, catching 

 the scent of the prey, dart wildly about in every direction 

 biting at each other's bodies in their excited search for the food. 



The Common Water Snake, like all the snakes of the genus 

 Tropidonotus, is viviparous. The largest litter of young snakes 

 counted by the writer amounted to forty-four. Several records 

 of the birth of young snakes are presented; the female specimens 

 involved had been captured but a few weeks. 



