COLLECTING AND PREPARING REPTILES. 125 



the hand, or a scoop-net, and should be placed in pickle 

 for reptiles, etc. 



Snakes abound in all lands, though in the United 

 States the species are not so widely distributed as birds 

 and mammals. Smaller snakes can generally be handled 

 with impunity, but the large varieties bite sharply and 

 hold on tenaciously. All the different rattle-snakes, 

 the moccasin-snake and adders are venomous and should 

 be approached with great caution. All kinds are usually 

 found coiled up basking in the sun. Black-snakes and 

 garter-snakes frequent stone walls, piles of wood, and 

 brush. The Eastern species of rattle-snake inhabits the 

 loose rocks of mountains, while the large brown species 

 of the West, frequents prairie-dog villages and gopher 

 burrows of the plains, and the low lands between the 

 Rocky Mountain ranges. 



The larger snakes ban be skinned by making a short 

 longitudinal incision in the middle of the belly, cutting 

 the body through, and removing it in two pieces by skin- 

 ning both ways to the head and tail. The pickle for an- 

 imals or reptiles will preserve the skins until mounted. 

 Small snakes should be put in pickle for preservation, with- 

 out skinning, and arranged in jars in a natural position. 



Turtles are found in both fresh and salt water, though 

 most of them are fresh water species. They can be taken 

 with nets, or with animal bait on small, strong hooks, 

 and preserved in pickle. 



Frogs can often be caught with the hands, though they 

 are more easily taken with dredging nets, or hooked up 

 with a triangle of large hooks. The large ones should 

 be skinned through the mouth to prevent making a seam, 

 and their skins can either be preserved in pickle or dried. 

 Small frogs are usually placed in alcoholic pickle with- 

 out skinning. 



Salamanders are found in fresh water ponds, and re- 

 semble large lizards. They are readily caught with nets. 



