330 REPTILIA 



Some Superstitions That Exist Regarding Snakes. ^ — 



"l. Snakes do not suck or milk cows. This is next to a physical 

 impossibility and science has no authentic record to prove it 

 true. 



" 2. Hoop snakes do not exist. Substantial rewards have been offered 

 for specimens and a demonstration of* rolling' but no one has 

 tried to claim the reward. 



"3. Snakes do not charm birds but cause them to become so excited 

 or nervous that they lose reason or instinct of protection. 

 This is especially true of nesting birds. 



"4. When a snake is killed some vital organ or organs stop function- 

 ing, but all cells are not killed. These living cells function 

 by reflex action for a varying period of time dependent on the 

 kind of cells, and not dependent on the action of the sunlight. 



" 5. Snakes do chase people, especially the blue racer. It is, however, 

 a coward and will run equally fast in the opposite direction 

 if the pursued become the pursuer. 



"6. Snakes do not sting or bite with any part of the body except the 

 teeth. The tongue is sensory in function, being the seat of 

 the senses of touch, taste and perhaps smell. 



"7. No snake or part thereof has any medicinal property which can- 

 not be found in some other material. For instance sweet oil 

 is just as good as rattler oil, and not as repulsive to most 

 people. This belief has been imposed upon the people by 

 'fakes' or 'quack doctors.' They are not even considered by 

 reputable physicians. 



"8. Green is not a warning color against poisonous snakes. 



"9. Snakes are blind only during the process of molting or when the 

 old skin is loose and is being shed because a new skin has 

 developed underneath. 



" 10. A horse-hair rope will not act as a barrier to a rattlesnake. This 

 has been demonstrated many times by actual test," 



Fossil Relatives. Super-Order I. Cotylosauria. — Geologically 

 the oldest known reptiles, appearing in the Carboniferous and dis- 

 appearing in the Triassic. Skulls completely roofed, v^^ith no 

 lateral temporal vacuities. Pelvis, flattened. Resembled Stego- 

 cephalia in presence of pectoral cleithrum. Heavy neural arches. 

 Example: Seymouria. 



' By permission of R. D. Casselberry from the Pennsylvania State College, Cor- 

 respondence Study Department, Zoology 35 C, Lesson 7. 



