JUNE. 159 



to where the birds had been, I found a huge water-snake 

 that had recently been killed. Not one of these timid 

 plovers had recognized it, apparently. Many had even 

 stepped upon it, and yet it lay upon the pebbles in full 

 view and in a very life-like position. This brings up the 

 unsolved problem of how far a bird's sense of sight is akin 

 to our own ; how far all their senses. Lubbock's remarks 

 that the world may be a totally different place to other 

 animals must be remembered. 



That plovers, like all of our small birds, are afraid of 

 living snakes will not be disputed. I doubt, indeed, if any 

 of our largest birds of prey would have dared to attack 

 this dead snake when alive, for a serpent five feet in length 

 and stout in proportion is enormously strong. By what 

 means did this flock of piping plovers recognize that it 

 was harmless ? I only determined the fact by a close ex- 

 amination. There was, of course, no motion ; and as the 

 snake had been very recently killed, no odor of decomposi- 

 tion. I could not at the time, nor can I now imagine by 

 what method the plovers had ascertained the harmless 

 condition of the snake, and it can not be doubted that 

 they did not fear it, unless it is claimed that they did not 

 distinguish it from the pebbles upon which it was stretched. 

 I do not believe this. Whenever I have placed a dead snake 

 in the poultry yard, the chickens gathered about it imme- 

 diately and made a great noise, but were slow in attacking 

 it. They always acted upon the supposition that it was still 

 alive, and were very slow to be convinced to the contrary. 

 Have plovers a less acute vision? It was suggested at 

 the time that the absence of motion assured them that the 

 snake was dead ; but, if so, then they would never be safe 

 against serpents that might lie in wait ; and I have noticed 

 that our land birds generally detect such cunning snakes 

 and give their fellows prompt warning. Again, it has 

 been said that living snakes give out an odor that attracts 



