54 
to fight. The threatening appearance of a 
snake on the defensive generally suffices to ar- 
rest an attack till the snake is able to glide into 
some convenient shelter. Bear in mind this 
fact, my dear Fritz, that but comparatively few 
persons are willing to attack a snake that sud- 
denly appears in their way, unless sticks or 
stones are at hand, and you will readily under- 
stand why snakes do not really require danger- 
ous defensive powers. You know a bad repu- 
tation is frequently as effectual in guarding one 
from assault as a coat of armor. 
When suddenly surprised and unable to es- 
cape attack, our common snake immediately 
assumes a defensive attitude, and if tormented 
will unhesitatingly dart the forward part of its 
lithe body at its tormentor and endeavor to 
fasten its small sharp teeth in the person of its 
enemy. large specimens of our common 
snakes, such as attain a length of several feet, 
are capable of inflicting quite a severe wound, 
causing blood to flow. In such cases, persons 
wounded by asnake’s bite, naturally experience 
some alarm lest the wound should prove to be 
a very serious matter. I have been frequently 
bitten by large non-venomous snakes, when the 
blood has freely flowed from every puncture of 
the needle like teeth, yet I have never suffered 
any serious effects from such attacks. The 
wound usually appeared like a severe pin 
scratch and was really less painful than a pin 
scratch generally proves to be. 
