OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. II7 



have seen this done until I was informed by the Rev. W. J. 

 I/Ong that he had seen the phenomenon. 



A snake's manner of eating is peculiar. "With no limbs to 

 aid in seizing or holding its prey, all the work must be done 

 with the jaws. The prey is seized wherever it can be caught, 

 and then the mouth is slowly worked around to one end of the 

 body. Then one side of the mouth is pushed forward and holds 

 on while the other side is advanced. In this way the victim 

 slowly disappears. 



All snakes seem to have the power of ejecting an ill smell- 

 ing fluid when frightened or angry. They do it, however, only 

 under these circumstances. With the exception of the rattle- 

 snake (unless the copperhead is found in the southern portions 

 of the State) our snakes are harmless, shy, graceful, handsome 

 little animals. Many of them do more good than harm. The 

 smallest must live on insects, and thus be entirely beneficial. 

 Yet they suffer more than almost' any other animal from the 

 prejudices of humanity. 



The order Ophidia is represented in New Hampshire by two 

 families, the Colubridae and Crotalidse. These contain the 

 twelve species known to inhabit the State. 



I. Family Coliibridee. 



In this family both jaws are provided with small, conical teeth 

 for seizing and holding the prey. There are no poison fangs, 

 hence all are harmless. 



1. Storeria, Baird and Girard. 



I. 6". Occipitomaculata Storer. Red-bellied Snake. This is 

 one of our smallest snakes, measuring about a foot in length when 

 full grown. The color varies from a light to a dark chestnut 

 brown or even nearly black, sometimes with a paler vertebral 

 band bordered with black dots. There is also on some 

 individuals a row of obscure dots on each side. The most con- 

 stant features are the salmon-red belly and three light spots, 

 sometimes confluent, just back of the head. The scales are ar- 

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