406 QUESTIONS, PROBLEMS, AND SUGGESTIONS 



8. Enemies. — Name all eneinios of r(>i)tik'.s of the adult, stage, of the 

 young, or of the eggs. 



9. Name reptiles that migrate; that hibernate; that estivate. When? 

 Where? How long? Purpose? 



10. Economics. — Value commercially or scientifically as compared with 

 other classes of chordates? 



11. Interest to you, as compared with other classes of chordates? 



12. Dispersal. — Name all their means of dispersal. 



13. Barriers. — Name all the barriers to the dispersal of reptiles. 



14. Why is the reptilian disposition or character more disUked than that 

 of any other class of chordates? Has their race environment or their race 

 heredity made them so? 



15. Read Ditmars' "The Reptiles of the World"' and get his viewpoint, 

 which is le.ss hostile. Why do we fear reptiles? Is it hereditary? Do 

 other animals fear snakes or reptiles in general? 



ORDER OPHIDIA 



16. How do you account for the limbless condition of snakes? How and 

 why can a snake coil? How strike? 



17. Degeneration. — What caused the degeneration of snakes? Will they 

 become extinct? Why? Were they ever lizards, or are they just degen- 

 erate lizards? 



18. Subordinalion. — What causes some animals to seek safety in subor- 

 dination? Results? Name examples from each chordate class. 



19. Mimicry. — How do you account for mimicry in some snakes? (See 

 p. 242 of the text.) Is it a sure means of defense? 



20. Account for: (1) the bright colors of some snakes; (2) the somber, 

 or dull ones; (3) the rattles of rattlesnakes; (4) the "blow" of the "blow 

 viper"; (5) some snakes being poisonous. Advantages? Disadvantages? 

 Why are the poi.sonous ones becoming extinct, while the non-poisonous ones 

 (e. g., the common garter snake) remain? 



21 . What is the secret of a snake charming a bird? Has fear on the part 

 of the bird much to do with it? Is it paralysis of fear on the bird's part? 



22. How and why do snakes get their prey as they do? Why do they 

 swallow it whole? 



23. Enemies of Snakes.— Of the adult? Of the young? Of the eggs? 



24. Self-defense of snakes, their young, or their eggs. Name three 

 means of snake defense. 



2'). Compare a snake and a frog as aberrant forms of their classes. 

 Are both degenerate or aberrant examples of their classes? Causes? 

 What does the word "snake" mean? 



2G. Name one special body characteristic of a snake; one mind charac- 

 teristic? 



