Notices in Natural History. 305 



The extreme tenuity and tenderness of these young, forbids the 

 supposition that they liad ever existed out of the body of the pa- 

 rent snake ; neither were they yet capable of receiving any food for 

 their sustenance, other than that of a fluid nature, mucli less to ac- 

 quire any themselves, of any kind. 



I have therefore been led to the conclusion, that the maniniillary 

 organ, which I have attempted to describe, must be the vessel in or 

 near which their existence commenced, as well as that which to a cer- 

 tain period of their growth must have supplied them with their food. 



The following fact serves to strengthen my confidence in this 

 opinion ; several years smce, I took out of the eggs, before they 

 were hatched, a number of young snakes, apparently of the garter 

 tribe, and found them of a much larger growth, as well as more ac- 

 tive and vigorous than those I found in the water snake. 



2. MouJting of Snakes. 



Altliough not immediately connected with the preceding, I take 

 the liberty to subjoin a few remarks on the subject of moulting or 

 sloughing off the old skin of serpents, to which I have lately given 



some attention. 



The season of moulting commences with the smaller species, in 

 the latter part of May or former part of June, but with those of a 

 larger somewhat later, and closes with all about the end of Sep- 

 tember. 



It has been observed by many, that for a period of two or three 

 days before they perform this operation, the reptile is partially, and 

 in some instances totally blind. The eye assumes a lightish sky 

 blue color, similar to that of skimmed milk. _ This obstruction of 

 vision may be occasioned by tlie formation of the new crystal, des- 

 tined to' cover and protect the eye, 'and in its growth is probably 

 opaque and clouded, and probably causes an uneasy sensation in the 

 animal and increases its efforts to rid itself of the incumbrance. 



All the cast skins I have seen for many years past were inverted, 

 or, as it is commonly expressed, " turned inside out," and were lymg 

 on the ground, fully extended and nearly in a straight Itne. 



In a late conversation on this subject with a gentleman of my ac- 

 quaintance, on whose veracity and correctness of observation full re- 

 liance may be placed, he informed me that some years smce he had 

 the satisfaction to witness the whole operation of a caged rattlesnake 

 sloughing off his skin. His attention was attracted to the snake by 



Vol. XXIX.— No. 2. 39 



