OUR SNAKES A NATIONAL ASSET 



557 



doliatus triangnlns (milk snake, house 

 snake, spotted adder, checkered adder), 

 which finds 90 per cent of its diet in 

 small mammals. This reptile, togethei 

 with dozens of others, is absolutely 

 harmless, defenseless and in no way de- 

 structive, though many ridiculous tales 

 are told about it. 



The gross ignorance regarding our 

 snakes causes slaughter of all things that 

 wear scales and crawl. Farmers should 

 protect and breed the harmless snakes 

 rather than kill them. Many European 

 countries have protective legislation. 

 Another fact : all the king snakes, and 

 the family is large, are natural enemies 

 of other snakes and eat many of them. 

 In numbers they probably overbalance 

 the poisonous species and by general dis- 

 trilnition usually occupy the same habi- 

 tat as the dangerous snakes. In this 

 way thev materiallv help to lessen dan- 



These snakes were 

 swamp sni 



Photograph bv courtesy New York Zoological Society. 



AFTER A GOOn MEAL 

 This shows a young king snake that has just eaten two sparrows, shown 

 against the paper, and illustrates the economic value of snakes. _ During 

 the hunts snakes captured would disgorge recently eaten food. Disgorged 

 mice showed plainly their value right in the field. Such an instance was 

 shown to a farmer who had told a group of hunters to take every hiamed 

 snake off the place. His views chnnged suddenly. 



SOME HIGHLY PLEASED HUNTERS 

 caught on the hrst hunt of the season and among them were DeKay's garter, 

 ike and many others. The hunters were very proud of their "bag." 



ger of ])oisoiious snake bite. Until a person is able to 

 immediately distinguish and name a snake, and know 

 whether it is dangerous or not, that person has no riglil 

 to kill any snake. Every time a snake is killed more 

 damage is being done than good. I will not go into 

 detail regarding the very interesting life histories ot 

 snakes, facts it will repay anyone to investigate, but wili 

 briefly mention the Reptile Study Society ana the work 

 it is trying to perform. 



Founded a number of years ago by Allen Samuel 

 Williams, scientist, author and lecturer, and now organ- 

 ized in many states, the Reptile Study Society is actively 

 pushing an educational campaign to save the snakes. 

 Practically all the leading zoologists are members, and 

 the roster includes the names of many women. Juveniles 

 form the class to which the most urgent appeal is being 

 made. Hundreds of youngsters are being re.iched 

 through the Y. M. C. A. and Scout organizations and 

 the like. Energies are directed to correcting false popu- 

 lar beliefs. 



Field meetings and hunts have been found the best 

 medium. The boys, expertly guided and carefully 

 watched, catch their own specimens. Fear is overcome 

 by handling and explanation ; proper catching methods 

 are illustrated. Dangerous snakes are exhibited and 

 studied ; the treatment for poison bites is demonstrated. 

 The boys are not allowed to handle these snakes and are 

 warned regarding them. 



The catching and handling brings a jjsychological 

 conditio!!, heroics, ii!to the scheme and hel]:is to make 

 evei-y bov a protector of snakes. The captured speci- 

 i!!eiis are exhibited ai!d many peoi)le are reached through 

 the!ii. This may not appear as a large field for service, 

 but the good being done is surprising. 



The Ditiuars Club — boys of the Newark. N. J., Y. 

 M. C. A. — has been very active. Two hunts, both well 



