SHORT STUDIES OF SNAKES. 285 



snakes being more marked in spring than at other times 

 is concerned, the truth is, that this is the time of year 

 when they are particularly sluggish. When disturbed in 

 their dreams, on a bright spring morning, they will often 

 remain rigid, and apparently feign death, rather than make 

 an effort to escape or to simulate a courage which they 

 do not possess, in order to frighten and drive you away. 

 It is but fair, however, to our author to add that his 

 own experience scarcely agreed with the stories that were 

 told him, as will be seen by the following extract : " I 

 can not well doubt of this the fierceness of the black- 

 snakes when mated as I have heard it said by numbers 

 of creditable people ; but I could never succeed in provok- 

 ing them. I ran always away on perceiving it, or flung 

 something at it, and then took to my heels, but I could 

 never bring the snakes to pursue me ; I know not for 

 what reason they shunned me, unless they took me for 

 an awful seducer." 



The reason is plain enough. Ivalm desired to know 

 the truth, and took the experimental way of learning it. 

 His knowledge of the snakes was gained by familiar, out- 

 of-doors intercourse with them, and it has stood the test 

 of time. All that was needed, when he wrote, was the 

 moral courage to say to the narrators of the marvelous 

 stories, " You are mistaken " ; or perhaps, more wisely, 

 he might have kept silent. The most conscientious man, 

 if afraid of snakes, can not tell the truth about them ; 

 and even in the case of the truly poisonous species, it is 

 well to remember that " the devil is not so black as he is 

 painted." 



Although the rattlesnake does not now frequent this 

 neighborhood, yet it was probably not uncommon here 

 years ago. I have not, however, been able to find in any 



