EGGS, HATCHING, AND CARE OF YOUXG 143 



pursuing the disturbing enemy. But the usual snake 

 either burrows under loose earth or into the rotted 

 roots of old stumps and other crevices, and there de- 

 posits her eggs. Sometimes they are not at all or 

 scarcely hidden. 



In all reptiles there are many eggs at a litter. 

 In the constricting families of snakes — especially the 

 pythons — the mother may coil herself about her eggs, 

 incubatino^ them as a hen sits on hers to hatch them. 

 At such times it is found that the temperature of the 

 cold-blooded mother is raised very noticeably — a thing 

 which is well known to occur in brooding birds. In 

 some snakes the eggs are hatched within the body and 

 the young born perfect. 



That certain snakes care for their young there can 

 be little doubt ; whether all do or not can not be as- 

 serted. The author is convinced from reliable wit- 

 nesses that mother snakes may take their young into 

 their mouths, gullets, and stomachs even, in time of 

 danger, and that they have some sort of call which 

 warns of approaching peril. It has been thought l)y 

 skeptics that since some snakes are viviparous, the 

 unscientific persons find the young before they ai'e 

 born and are thus deceived ; but such trustworthv 

 accounts state that the vouno^ are seen to enter, are 

 found in the stomach proper, and have been pushed 

 out of the mouth after death from snakes well known 

 to be ecj^o^-lavino:. 



Lizards lay eggs in crannies and under the soil. 

 Some of these also bring forth their young alive. 

 There is little evidence that they care for their young. 



