THE SNAKES 265 



the southern New England States to the Missouri 

 River, thence southward through Florida and well into 

 Texas. H. simus, the smallest and stoutest species, is 

 found from South Carolina and Florida to the Missis- 

 sippi. H. nasicuSj having the most pronounced turned- 

 up snout, ranges from Montana to Texas and Arizona, 

 thence into northern Mexico. 



The Common Hog-Nosed Snake, H. platyrhinus, 

 reaches a maximum length of three and a half feet. 

 Difficult to describe, the coloration may be given as pale 

 brownish, yellow or gray, with coarse, irregular darker 

 blotches on the back ; the lower part of the sides and the 

 abdomen are thickly powdered with black dots. Mark- 

 ings and colors vary into all sorts of blotched and mar- 

 bled designs; we find snakes with brick red on the 

 anterior part of the body; numerous ones, from moun- 

 tainous regions, are entirely black, forming the variety 

 niger. 



One of the interesting traits of the Hog-nosed Snake 

 is the habit of feigning death if it finds its vigorous 

 imitations of a poisonous snake are of no avail in fright- 

 ening the enemy away. During the entire episode the 

 actions seem carefully studied. Some scientists insist 

 that the snake is frightened into a convulsion or faint. 

 The writer is of a directly opposite opinion. After 

 hissing, striking and going through all sorts of alarming 

 manoeuvres, the snake suddenly rolls on its back, opening 

 the mouth and thrashing the head from side to side until 

 the jaws are smeared with earth or dust, then becomes 

 utterly limp and motionless. If one remains near, mak- 

 ing an occasional motion, the snake continues in the 

 same condition, possibly for fifteen minutes or more. 

 Let the observer hide. Something interesting happens 

 at once. The reptile cautiously rears the head, darts 



