204 A COLLECTOR'S EXPERIENCES 



his feet as he sat resting after a long walk through 

 the woods. The writer had been facing in the snake's 

 direction for fully a quarter of an hour, but so closely 

 did the reptile resemble a little heap of fallen leaves 

 as it lay coiled that it failed to attract his attention, 

 and might have entirely escaped his notice had it not 

 vigorously vibrated its tail as a significant warning of 

 its presence. I 



