IA7X I-;, 



ami dive. The peculiar gliding motion of snaki te to 



the movements of the large scales on the under side of the 

 body. These are successively advanced, the hinder - 

 of the scales resting on the ground and actii 



og on these the body is then drawn or pushed rapidly 

 forwards. 



- akes can swallow animals much thicker than their own 

 bodies, because the bones of their skull and throat separate 

 bo thai the mouth and throat can be greatly extended. 

 Thus a boa can swallow a calf whole, or a common striped 

 snake can swallow a toad or bullfrog. The hones of the 

 mouth are also armed with teeth pointing backwards, to 

 prevent the prey from (slipping oul of ihe mouth. Snakes 

 occasionally are Known to hiss, the noise being caused by 

 the passage of the breath from the lungs through the wind- 

 pipe. The fixed, stony gaze of snakes is due to the fact 

 that the eye is covered by a thin stationary lid, the true 

 lids not being present. 



The proverb "deaf as an adder'* i- nol founded on fact, 

 as snakes, like all reptiles, have internal ears. Their E 

 of hearing may he dull, hut certain snakes, as the cobra 

 de capello, are attracted by music* 



A few snakes are viviparous, as the vipers; others, as the 

 common striped snake {Etitmnia sirtalis), are ovovivipar- 

 ous, the young developing in eggs, hut hatching before the 

 eggs are laid. This snake has been known t.> produce as 

 many as 78 young ones.j When alarmed, a brood of young 

 of this and otherspecies have Keen known, since the da 

 Spenser, who refers to this halut in the " Faerie Queen," 



* One remarkable characteristic of tin - heir 



fondness for music. Even when newly caught they seem to 1 

 with pleasure n> the notes, and even to writhe themselves into atti- 

 tudes. The Indian jugglers improve greatly on ibis instinct, and, 

 after taming them by degrees, instruct them to keep tune to their 

 flageolet. — Percival, E Nat. Hut 



f American yaturatist, p. 1009 Dc( ,185 



