CLASS REPTILIA 563 



tains. The snout is turned up at the end, whence its common 

 name. It is non-venomous and entirely harmless, but when 

 disturbed throws itself into a defiant attitude, dilates its neck like 

 a cobra, and makes a hissing sound. If this does not frighten 

 away the enemy, the snake may suddenly open its mouth, and 

 appear to be injured and to lose strength. " Then a convulsion 

 seemingly seizes the snake, as it contorts its body into irregular 

 undulations, ending in a spasmodic wriggling of the tail, when 

 the reptile turns on its back and lies limp and to all appearances 

 dead. 



" So cleverly and patiently does the snake feign death that 

 it may be carried about by the tail for half an hour or more, 

 hung over a fence rail where it dangles and sways to a passing 

 breeze, or tied in a knot and thrown in the road, and to all of 

 this treatment there is no sign of life except from one condition. 

 In spite of this remarkable shamming, the snake may be led to 

 betray itself if placed upon the ground on its crawling surface. 

 Then like a flash it turns upon its back again and once more be- 

 comes limp and apparently lifeless. It appears, according to this 

 creature's reasoning, that a snake to look thoroughly dead should 

 be lying upon its back. This idea is persistent, and the experi- 

 ment may be repeated a dozen times or more. 



" Should the observer retreat some distance away, while the 

 reptile lies thus, or he seek near-by concealment, the craftiness 

 of the animal may be realized. Seeing nothing further to alarm, 

 the serpent raises its head slightly and surveys its surroundings, 

 and if there is no further sign of the enemy, it quickly rolls over 

 upon its abdomen and glides away as fast as its thick body will 

 carry it. But at such a moment a move on the observer's part 

 would send the reptile on its back again, with ludicrous pre- 

 cipitation." (Ditmars.) 



Series B. Opisthoglypha. — The opisthoglyphs are Colu- 

 brid^e which possess grooved teeth in the rear of the upper jaw. 

 They are all poisonous, but very few are dangerous to man. 

 The subfamily Homalopsin^e contains about twenty-three 



