SOME. EXPERIENCES WITH SNAKES. 9 



cated, the result being that it is compelled to go 

 around with the mouth wide open until the disloca- 

 tion is reduced. If it bites it does no harm, for it has 

 neither fangs nor poison-bags. 



"Did you ever see a snake sunstruck?" Snow 

 asked, and all but Mudge thought he was joking 

 and kept a discreet silence. 



" I am not quizzing. It is an actual fact that 

 snakes cannot stand the heat of the sun on the sand. 

 Unless they get shelter during the middle of the day 

 they will die. If you will notice, all snakes are coiled 

 up at noon about the foot of a bush or are under 

 rocks. I got one big fellow to-day, a whip-snake. I 

 had him in my net, and laid him on the ground by 

 my side while I rested. In fifteen minutes he was 

 dead. He was sunstruck." 



The campers were in need of fresh meat, and the 

 conversation gradually drifted to hunting. Antelope 

 had been seen every day, in groups of from five to 

 ten, but no attempt had been made to get one, as all 

 the time had been devoted to collecting insects and 

 fossils. The only fire-arm in the camp was an old 

 carbine belonging to Mudge, and it was apparently 

 in such a dilapidated condition that no one cared to 

 risk his reputation by attempting a shot with it. 



" Antelope is the hardest thing on earth to get a 

 shot at, young feller," said one of a party of cowboys 

 that visited the camp, " and you'll find that they can 

 make out a hunter miles away. If there's only one 

 in the band, he'll always keep his eyes skinned for 

 something to get scared at." 



This duly impressed the boys with the idea that an 



