BREATHING AND HISSING OF SNAKES. 151 



ruffled, as an alarmed hen ruffles her feathers. * The outer 

 scales are prominent, and at a different angle to the rest,' 

 says Fayrer. It generally lies coiled in a compact form, 

 often like a ' w,' as may be seen in the frontispiece, with its 

 head in the centre, but always towards the point of supposed 

 danger, which in a cage is facing the spectator. 



Curious and wonderful is the agitation into which this 

 carpet snake throws itself when disturbed, every inch of it, 

 excepting the head, in motion. The head retains its fixed 

 position, the eyes intently keeping guard, while the body 

 moves in every conceivable curve, like wheels within wheels, 

 yet retaining the same outline, or occupying the same place 

 and space, though every muscle must be in activity. 



One can liken this behaviour only to what is seen in the 

 blending of liquids of different densities. As you look 

 down into a glass containing one fluid while drop after drop 

 of another is falling, you perceive fresh currents and curves 

 in every direction. Watching one of these, it has changed 

 places with another, you lose trace of it, each drop is lost in 

 the commingling of the whole. So it is with this wonderful 

 little echis. It is almost impossible to follow with the eye 

 any one portion or coil of its moving length ; but each inch 

 changes places and mingles with the rest, like blending 

 fluids. 



Speaking of an American snake {Pitnop/iis vic/anoleuats), 

 in which a similar excitement is observable, Mr. Samuel 

 Lockwood ^ likens it to a ' mystic wheel.' ' The movement 

 consists of numberless units of individual activities,' he says, 

 * and all regulated by and under the perfect control of one 



^ American Nahiralist, vol. ix. 



