72 Cincinnati Society of Natural History. 



rush from her mouth. Eighteen saw the young shaken out by 

 dogs or run from the parent's mouth. Thirty-three persons 

 who did not see the young enter the parent, found them Hving 

 within her body. Only twenty allowed the persecuted mother 

 to escape. For it should be remembered that in Dr. Goode's 

 mass of evidence the majority of cases refer to non-venomous, 

 harmless and useful species, thirty-four belonging to Eutaenia 

 or garter snakes alone. ; 



When I first heard of this curious habit, years ago, I was 

 inclined to be sceptical of its truth, though since I was bitten 

 on the end of my thumb by a blind and decapitated rattlesnake 

 (Crotalus adamanteus) , I have come to the conclusion that 

 these reptiles are liable to do most anything. The venomous 

 species should be killed whenever possible, but the small, harm- 

 less species should never be molested. Automobiles kill more 

 people in one year in the United States than all the venomous 

 snakes within that territory do in twenty. 



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