theory. Actually there is little evidence of family life or interest in other 

 members of the species except at times of mating and of hibernation. The 

 poisonous snakes, water snakes, garter snakes and little brown snakes retain 

 their eggs within the body until hatching time, so that they bring forth living 

 young. Most of the other snakes seek suitable spots in which to deposit their 

 eggs, but pay them no further attention. A few snakes are known to brood 

 their eggs and the brooding habit may be more general than is supposed. The 

 black snakes and racers seek manure piles or decaying straw stacks for egg- 

 laying, possibly because the moisture and heat of fermentation afford ideal 

 conditions for incubation. The green snakes and most of those preferring 

 uncultivated and rocky country usually deposit their eggs under flat stones, 

 which absorb heat during the day and act like old-fashioned soapstones to 

 keep the eggs warm during part of the night. In most cases the young closely 

 resemble the adults, but in a few cases where the adults are of uniform color 

 the young may show a distinct pattern. The latter condition is true of the 

 black snake and of several of the other racers. 



It is a common occurrence to find the discarded skin of a snake. Most 

 snakes leave the skin turned inside out, but entire and unbroken. Sometimes 

 it is possible to identify a snake to genus or even to species by the scalation 

 of the shed skin. The rattles of the rattlesnake are formed at the times of 

 shedding. The number of rattles is no definite indication of the age of the 

 snake, however, as the skin may be shed several times a year. The rattles are 

 often lost, so that a very old rattlesnake may possess only a few rattles. 



One of the most amazing actors among the snakes is the spreading adder, 

 Heterodon. When alarmed, it raises the front part of its body into the air 

 and flattens out its neck region much like a cobra. Its evil appearance is then 

 supplemented by a loud hissing and all the preliminaries of an attempt to 

 strike. If one is bold enough to call its bluff and offer it a hand for a target, 

 he will find its strikes are so measured as to fall just short of the apparent 

 goal. If struck, the snake will exhibit another more spectacular stunt. A 

 shudder runs along its body, its jaws gape widely and its tongue lolls out, 

 so that it appears to be having an epileptic fit. After a little of this it remains 

 perfectly limp, belly up, and apparently dead. Only one flaw mars its per- 

 formance. Apparently convinced that a dead snake lies always upon its back, 

 it will quickly flop back in that position if it is turned upon its belly. The 

 snake lies motionless as long as danger is apparent. When all appears quiet, 

 it slowly raises and turns its head, always ready to fall back at a moment's 

 notice. Satisfied that all is well, it rights itself and moves quietly away. 



The general aversion to snakes has led to the acceptance of many fallacious 

 stories concerning them. The average person who encounters a snake does not 

 tarry long enough to make close observations, and his descriptions come to be 

 colored by imagination rather than fact. 



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