Q2 JOURNAL OF THE [July, 



huge Boas and Pythons down to the little snake met with in a 

 rural walk, each and all without exception shed the skin, and, as 

 a rule, cast it whole if the animal is in a healthy condition. It 

 is observable, too, that these reptiles have no polychrome power 

 whatever. The green snake while in the grass finds its color pro- 

 tective, but the reverse when upon the naked soil or crossing 

 the white lichen patches in the pines. The scales of fishes 

 are distinctly different from the true skin, as our nails differ 

 from our skin. Let us repeat that, as with the reptiles already 

 considered, the scales of serpents are simply thickened dermal 

 tissue, over which is spread the true epiderm or thin scarf skin. 



Now, having found in the woods just where its owner left it a 

 good specimen of a cast snake skin, four interesting facts may be 

 observed : (a) It is shed entire and in one piece, (d) It is untorn, 

 except about the head, (c) It is turned inside out, as a long 

 stocking might be. (d) And fourthly, even the very eyes have 

 moulted, the thin scarf even in shedding preserving their form per- 

 fectly in inverted relief. 



As to the way in which serpent exuviation is accomplished, the 

 popular idea, and generally even that of the books, is simply this: 

 'Svhen the moulting time has come the animal draws itself be- 

 tween two objects, anything that will suffice for a purchase, such 

 as sticks and stones, and thus manages to rub off its skin." 



To such a notion the simplest reasoning upon common observa- 

 tion must demur. At time of shedding the scarf is very moist, 

 and as frail almost as tissue paper. If a lady could have full- 

 length arm gloves of as thin and frail a tissue, it would be impos- 

 sible for her maid to remove one by any process of friction or 

 rubbing down without tearing them into fragments. And even if 

 the tissue could resist such treatment, would it be possible that 

 they would thus come off turned completely inside out? Then, as 

 to the serpent's eyes, since they must be moulted too, could such 

 friction do less than injure them ? Moreover, the places in which 

 these exuviffi are found are not consonant with this friction 

 hypothesis. For they are quite often found on the plain soil, 

 where there are no objects that could be used for friction ; and 

 even the ground where the moult is left hardly shows signs of 

 movement. 



Having witnessed the operation in very favorable circum- 



