Snakes in Nature. 45 



So much for the errors as to what the Americans call " the 

 business ends " of the snake. Another class concerns itself 

 \\ ith the creature's appearance. " The vulgar " always call 

 snakes "slimy," and poets do so too. Thus Rogers, who 

 ought to have known better, says : 



" Everywhere from bush and brake, 

 The musky odour of the serpents came, 

 Their slimy track across the woodman's path 

 Bright in the moonshine." 



The origin of the error that snakes are slimy, so far as 

 modern poets are concerned, is perhaps Darwin, who more 

 than once speaks of the " foamy folds " of serpents, and as 

 he was a naturalist, his word of course went for much. 

 Among other misconceptions as to the tribe may be noted 

 Pitt's idea, that serpents feed on poison-plants 



" So the fell snake rejects the fragrant flow'rs 

 But every poison of the field devours ; " 



and the more common ones that these reptiles stand on 

 end when angry, and that they are most active at noon and 

 asleep by night. 



Darwin has a remarkable fancy on the reciprocity of 

 alarm : 



" Stern stalks the lion ; on the rustling brinks 

 Hears the dread snake, and trembles as he drinks, 

 Quick darts the scaly monster o'er the plain, 

 Fold over fold his undulating train ; 

 And bending o'er the lake his crested brow, 

 Starts at the crocodile, that gapes below." 



What power there is in Spenser's simple lines 



" Like a snake whom wearie winter's teene 

 Hath worne to nought, now, feeling summer's might, 

 Casts off his ragged skin and freshly doth him dight." 



All poets are attracted by this idea of rejuvenescence, 

 and the casting of the slough is as regularly recurrent as 



