302 Odor of Snakes. 



are common, every now and then 3'ou may see a 

 snake strike off from the shore and swim across, 

 twining in and out the stems of the green flags till he 

 reaches the aquatic grass on the mud and disappears 

 among it. 



One warm summer's day I sat down on the sward 

 under an oak, and leaned my gun against it, intend- 

 ing to watch the movements of a pair of woodpeckers 

 who had young close by. But the drowsy warmth 

 induced slumber, and on waking — probablj* after 

 the lapse of some time — I found a snake coiled on 

 the grass under one of my legs. I kept perfectly 

 still, being curious to see what the snake would do. 

 He watched me with his keen eyes as closely as I 

 watched him. So long as there was absolute still- 

 ness, he remained ; the moment I moved, out shot 

 his forked black tongue, and away he went into the 

 ditch as rapidly as possible. 



Some countr}^ people say they can ascertain if a 

 hedge is frequented b}' snakes, by a peculiar smell : 

 it is certain that if one is killed, especially if worried 

 by a dog, there is an unpleasant odor. That they 

 lie torpid during the winter is generally understood ; 

 but though I have kept an eye on the grubbing of 

 many hedges for the purpose of observing what was 

 found, I never saw a snake disturbed from his 

 winter sleep. But that may be accounted for by 

 their taking alarm at the jar and vibration of the 

 earth under the strokes of the axe at the tough roots 

 of thorn stoles and ash, and so getting away. Be- 

 sides which it is likely enough that these particular 

 hedges may not have been favorite localities with 

 them. They are said to eat mice, and to enter 



