2o6 SNAKES. 



But if the finches did not become the prey of snakes, 

 they would become the victims of bird-catchers and miUiners ; 

 and if they escaped these wanton spoilers, they would fall 

 victims to birds of prey, as much larger birds fall victims to 

 our own need of food. 



Reptiles also have existence and requirements, and an 

 organization adapted to such requirements. This should be 

 their claim upon our tolerance ; and if they do not win our 

 admiration, we cannot deny them the right to live, the right 

 to feed according to their instincts, and to secure their natural 

 food in their own way, which — begging the reader to pardon 

 this feeble moralizing — we find to be a very wonderful way. 



Though the term ' reptile ' is applied to a whole tribe of 

 crawling creatures, whether four-legged or limbless, that are 

 covered with scales, horny plates, or a skin more or less 

 hardened, imbricated, or rugose (viz. crocodiles, lizards, 

 frogs, toads, serpents, and their congeners), snakes are more 

 truly reptiles, being limbless, from repo, to creep. Hence 

 serpents (from serpo, to creep, and its derivatives serpentine, 

 serpentize, etc., from serpens, winding) have been separated 

 from the rest. The true serpents, therefore, are those with- 

 out feet, and which move only close to the ground, by the 

 sinuations of their body. 



We have seen that the constricting snakes use this body 

 as a substitute for hands, literally managing with it ; but 

 though they are externally legless, and apodal (without feet), 

 the truth is that few creatures, none perhaps, not even 

 millipedes, are more liberally furnished with legs and feet 

 than serpents. One curious exception to general rules is, 

 that while other creatures have the same number of feet as 



