FROM A NEW ENGLAND HILLSIDE. 141 



XXVI. 



PHOLI.IS made a little exclamation and 

 stopped me as I was about to step upon a 

 mottled brown snake, which lay in a slightly 

 waving line across the middle of the sandy 

 wood-road. The compensating curve of its 

 body was really very graceful, but it was 

 difficult to conjure up any emotion of pleas 

 ure as we looked at it. It seemed at first 

 perfectly still, but on examining it narrowly 

 the motion of its breathing apparatus could 

 be discovered. I have an invincible repug 

 nance for all snakes, noxious and innocuous 

 alike, which, nevertheless, I try to conquer, 

 and I touched it with a light branch which 

 I had in my hand, to ascertain whether its 

 sluggishness were only assumed. It imme 

 diately flattened and hollowed its neck for a 

 length of several inches, and darted out its 

 forked tongue in very vicious fashion. I 

 looked about for a loose stone or heavy stick 

 with which to make a demonstration in 

 force, but meantime the reptile softly glided 

 away among the bushes and was lost. 



