﻿104 INTRODUCTION 



in the case of many other animals, and it seems 

 reasonable to suppose that it may be applied to 

 different purposes. With the advent of man, this 

 means of attracting attention must tend to the more 

 rapid extermination of the snakes which possess it. 



Another curious behaviour is that of feigning death, 

 as observed in a harmless but vicious-looking snake, 

 Heterodon, often called Puff-adder in America. It 

 looks more like a Viper than a harmless snake, and 

 when disturbed hisses loudly and flattens out the 

 anterior part of the body, much as does a Cobra, and 

 pretends to strike, although it is one of the few 

 snakes that never bite man. If, however, this display 

 proves of no avail in frightening away the intruder, 

 the snake rolls on its back and opens its mouth, and 

 then lies for a time, which may exceed a quarter of 

 an hour, absolutely motionless, as if dead. As soon 

 as it thinks the danger over, it awakens from its 

 spasm and rapidly moves off. It is the opinion of 

 those who have most experience of this snake that 

 this extraordinary behaviour is not to be explained 

 as a convulsion or faint due to fright, but constitutes 

 a deliberate trick to save its life. Individuals of the 

 South African Ringhals {Sepedon hcemachates) and of 

 the Common Grass-snake have also been observed to 

 feign death. 



The notion that snakes fascinate their prey, 

 attracting it or reducing it to immobility by a 

 mysterious power in their glittering eyes, is pure 



