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Haying that "The Copperhead autl Kattler are the only poisonous 

 species of reptiles found in this State." He said, "Surely you have 

 forgotten the Spreading Adder." Nevertheless, we here again re- 

 peat the statement that this most threatening snake is entirely 

 harmless, although one of the greatest "bluifers" known in Nature. 

 It must be remembered that it is not unusual for harmless creatures 

 to simulate by color or actions those which have decided means of 

 defense. 



The name "Hoguosud Adder'' is given from the flattened up- 

 turned snout or nose, and the specific name platirhinos means 

 "flat-nose." This is doubtless used by the serpent in boring into 

 the ground to find a suitable place for bringing forth its young, or 

 passing a dry or cold season. One of the justifications that some 

 people find in considering this species of serpent poisonous is that 

 they say it will strike itself after being teased for some time and 

 fall over dead. Fortunately, we had an opportunity to test the 

 truth of this report. V\'e found one that was molting or casting 

 its outer skin, and the skin over the eyes had loosened enough to 

 make it temporarily blind. After it had been teased for a short 

 time and had thrown itself into a frenzy by spreading, hissing and 

 striking in various directions it struck backwards toward its body 

 l)ut did not hit itself by three or four inches, and at once fell over 

 apparently lifeless. Its mouth was open and dirt could be poked 

 into it without any evidence of sensation on the part of the snake, 

 but one trick showed that it "was aware of what was being done 

 to it. It persisted in lying apparently limp and lifeless but upside- 

 down. Every time we WQuld turn it right side up, even though it 

 was simulating death, it wo.uld time after time gradually turn back 

 until its back rested upon the ground and the ventral side was up. 

 Perhaps this was an elTort on its part to aid its ajjpearance of 

 being dead, and thus induce its tormentor to pass it by as a creature 

 that was hors de comhat^ as do the opossum, curculio, and other 

 forms of animal life practice the same deception. It is needless 

 to say that it had not injured itself and was in its normal condi- 

 tion in less than half an hour. 



The genus Jleterodon, to which belongs the Hog-nosed Snakes, is 

 distinguished by keeled dorsal scales; in twenty-three to twenty- 

 five rows; anal ])late bifid and snout recurved and keeled. In fact, 

 tlie last named fealure is enough to distinguish the two species of 

 this genus imuH'diately from all other serpents. The Sjjreading 

 Adder, whicli is *the one species of the genus found in this State, 

 is described as brownisli or reddish, with about twenty-eight dark 

 dorsal blotches besides sjjots on the sides and half rings on the tail. 

 There is one form (var. niger) which is uniformly black, and of 



