SNAKES, 163 » 
It will be well here, I think, to briefly allude to some of the 
delusions in regard to the Snake. A parishioner of mine, a 
farmer’s wife, was looking one day at my Snakes, and seeing 
them vibrate their tongues, exclaimed, “‘ Arn’t those their 
‘speers’ that they sting with?” And when I explained that 
the animals were only putting cut their tongues, being, no doubt, 
a little nervous at the presence of a stranger, and that no Snake 
could hurt anybody with its tongue, my companion remarked, 
“No, sir,” the “No” being said very slowly indeed. That is, 
the two words were uttered politely, but not believingly. And 
as, to prove the truth of my assertion, I allowed a tongue or two 
to touch my hand, the woman started back with an expression of 
terror in her face, and apparently expected that I would immedi- 
ately turn pale, fall down, and begin at once to leave off living. 
The idea that Snakes sting with their tongue is so common that 
one can hardly ever stay long in the Reptile House, London, 
without hearing, for instance, a father saying to his son, “ Do 
you see the thing that Snake is putting in and out? That’s its 
sting.” Or one friend may remark to another, “ There! did you 
see the brute put out its sting? You would not think that one 
touch of that little thing could kill a man? But it would, you 
know, and quickly, too.”” The tongue, though very useful to the 
Snake, is perfectly harmless. Most Snakes will not survive any 
serious injury to their tongues, but some have been known to eat 
and drink after having been deprived of them. I have read, but 
never ventured to test the truth of the statement, that if nicotine 
be applied to a Snake’s tongue the whole of the animal becomes 
at once perfectly stiff and straight like a stick. This assertion 
naturally calls to mind the tricks of the ancient Egyptians. 
The tongue seems to be used by a Snake as insects use their 
antenne, as anorgan of touch or contact. Some authorities have 
thought that it is also employed as a decoy for prey, e.y., a bird 
will occasionally be tempted to approach a snake, and peck at the 
quickly-vibrating tongue, probably mistaking it for a worm or 
something else of a similar nature. 
The tongue when not in use is withdrawn into a sheath at the 
bottom of the Snake’s mouth. It must be well protected when 
prey is being swallowed, for it is very delicate—so delicate that 
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