SHAKES. 71 



of a fallen tree or under a chunk on some dry hillside. 

 In such a place it feeds upon those insects which come 

 readily to hand and, when disturbed, seeks to defend 

 itself only by exuding a disagreeable odor. 



More common than the above, especially in central 



Indiana, is Kirtland's snake, Tropidoclonium kirtlandi 



(Ivennicott). It also is very prettily marked, being 



light reddish brown with two rows of large round 



dark spots on each side, while beneath 



it is a bright salmon red, with a row 



of black spots along the margin of the 



ventral plates. The scales are keeled and in 19 rows. 



This snake evidently feeds at night, for of 20 or 



more taken by the writer, all were found coiled up 



beneath logs or stones, seemingly half asleep, as they 



were very sluggish in their actions even after their 



chosen shelter had been rolled from above them. Its 



only show of self defense is a habit of flattening itself 



so that it becomes very broad and thin. It then 



strikes viciously for several times, when, seemingly 



satisfied with its show of resistance, it coils itself up 



and quietly eyes the intruder. Toads, frogs and 



insects comprise its food, and the young are born 



alive. 



Group VII. The Vipers. 



And now we come to the last, the ugliest and the 

 clumsiest of them all, the "hog-nosed snake" or 

 "spreading viper," Heterodon platyrhinus Latreille. 

 Much has been said of it on the previous pages but it 

 deserves more than a passing mention, as none other 

 of our snakes can hiss more loudly, spread more flatly, 



