MISAPPREHENSIONS 73 



a perpetual storm-centre; and there is plenty of reliable 

 evidence on all sides of it. 



Snake disputes between truthful persons are due either to 

 deceptions of the eye (an organ easily deceived!), a misinter- 

 pretation of things seen, or imperfect observations. 



For example, men of the highest truthfulness have been 

 deceived into the fixed belief that they have "seen horse- 

 hairs turn into worms." 



Without attempting to settle out of hand any of the 

 snake disputes that are "rock-ribbed, and ancient as the 

 sun," I will at least state what experienced men, who have 

 observed and studied reptiles all their lives, and gathered 

 facts regarding them, believe to be true. 



The "Hoop Snake," which is said to travel by taking the 

 end of its tail in its mouth, and rolling along like a hoop, is 

 believed to be an absolute myth. 



It is believed that snake mothers do not swallow their 

 young in order to protect them, and emit them all as good 

 as new when the danger is over. 



Many snakes do hiss, some of them as loudly as a red- 

 hot poker thrust into cold water. 



The tongue of a snake is not capable of inflicting a wound, 

 nor of conveying poison into the blood of another creature. 



Snakes never are "slimy." 



Removing the fangs of a poisonous serpent does not nec- 

 essarily render it harmless; for new fangs promptly grow out 

 to take the place of those removed. 



The rattle of the rattlesnake contains more than one joint 

 for each year of life — usually two or three. 



