58 
certain unusual yet possible conditions, a veri- 
table deadly serpent.” 
“Yes, there is no doubt that the really ven- 
omous snakes bear the burden of reproach for 
bites of a serious nature inflicted by innocuous 
snakes. But to return to the consideration of 
modes of defense of our common harmless spe- 
cies. The large over-lapping scales on the un- 
der-side of a snake, or ‘scutes’ as they are 
called, frequently serve as a most effectual 
means of defense when the snake is so fortunate 
as to glide into a convenient hole beneath a 
stump of tree or in a bank or wall. Often have 
I seized a snake by the tail as it was disappear- 
ing in shelter beneath a rock or a stump of old 
tree, and I have been compelled to reluctantly 
allow it to escape or dismember it. So strongly 
has it resisted my efforts to drag it from its 
shelter, by the firm hold its scutes secured on 
the rough surface of its retreat, that the stretch- 
ing of the body warned me to release it, or it 
would part and leave only its tail in my hand. 
Now if you will pass your finger over the sur- 
face of the underside of this specimen, and 
from tail to head, thus, you will receive an in- 
telligent idea of how firmly a snake can hold 
on to the rough surface over which it glides. 
When this ‘lap’ is raised in this manner, then 
you get a satisfactory conception of how im- 
portant these numerous strong scales, in con- 
junction with the many pairs of loose ribs, be- 
come as means of both locomotion and de- 
fense.” 
