66 
males over eighteen inches in length mate 
with large, full grown females three feet in 
length. Again, I have seen females of this 
same species not over twenty inches in length 
give birth to sixteen baby snakes, all well and 
active. In species that are prominently marked 
and colored there may exist a slight difference 
in appearance that will positively distinguish 
sex, but I am not yet able to lay down any law 
that can be assuredly relied on to distinguish 
sex by any external appearances of our com- 
mon snakes found singly in their native wilds. 
Dissection is the only positive proof of sex.” 
HIBERNATION. 
“ Another interesting feature in the life-hab- 
its of the ophidians is hibernation. Frequently 
this question is asked, ‘ What becomes of the 
snakes during winter?’ Of course you know 
that all reptiles hibernate during the cold sea- 
son. The period of activity of snakes in our 
temperate climate is about seven months. 
Naturally enough this term is largely depen- 
dent on the character of our winters. If we ex- 
perience an ‘open winter,’ snakes remain 
abroad later than when a severe frigid season 
prevails. As a rule the ‘cold snaps’ in Au- 
tumn drive all our snakes into winter quarters. 
Occasionally during the ‘warm spells’ in the 
beautiful season of Indian summer, individuals 
may be met enjoying a quiet ‘siesta’ beneath 
