196 Life and Lmmortality. 
upon small animals. The female shows the same regard for 
her young as other kinds, suffering them, even when three 
or four inches long, to take shelter in her throat, when she 
will clumsily turn in search of some place of concealment. 
Water-snakes generally affect water-courses, often hanging 
from the branches of trees over streams, into which they 
drop when disturbed. Dr. Bell, an English naturalist of dis- 
tinction, once tamed a European species of this genus. This 
WATER SNAKE. 
Swallowing Her Young. 
pet could distinguish him among a crowd, and would crawl 
to him, passing into his sleeve, where it would curl up for a 
nap. Every morning found it at the doctor’s table for its 
share of milk. For strangers it had an aversion, flying and 
hissing at them when any familiarities were attempted. 
Were these grovelling creatures better known, there would 
be found much in them to admire and commend. They are 
not the hideous beings they are represented to be. The 
