83 
for so long a time, that before I became 
thoroughly acquainted with its life habits I was 
tempted to throw it aside, under the impression 
that perhaps its vehement exhibition of rage 
when first I caught it had really re-acted on it 
in some fatal manner to cause its death. But, 
my Fritz, the old schoolmaster, experience, 
soon taught me that I was being duped by the 
clever trick of a despised snake, so now, when a 
specimen tries to impose on my sympathies by 
practicing the ‘possum trick,’ I cruelly place 
it in my snake box and coolly watch it recover 
its senses. 
The hog-nose snake or spreading adder, is 
found in open fields, generally near streams, 
where its natural food, toads, frogs and sala- 
manders, are to be found. It burrows readily 
in seareh of grubs and insects. It is very 
deliberate in its movements, and does not pos- 
sess the ability to glide as swiftly out of danger 
as the other species of our common snakes. 
During the early part of July the female 
spreading adder lays about a dozen yellowish 
white, pointed eggs, about one inch long and 
one-half inch in diameter. These are deposited 
in some suitable spot to be hatched by the 
moist heat of their resting place. The little 
snakes are much lighter in color than the par- 
ent and interesting little creatures. 
The species neger is black or dark brown 
above, slate color below, a truly formidable ap- 
pearing reptile, yet perfectly harmless,” 
