2 6o THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



placing a small pane of glass in a box, in which was a common black 

 snake. He was made to pass over it repeatedly, but evidently found 

 that he had no foothold on it ; and the third time, as he approached 

 it, elevated the fore-part of his body slightly, and brought his head 

 down beyond the glass, and, on passing, his body seemed scarcely to 

 touch it. This gave an opportunity to witness the wave-like move- 

 ment of the scales, that is, of their elevation, which runs from the head 

 to the tail, enabling the animal to move continuously, instead of by a 

 series of minute pushes, as would occur if all the scales be lifted and 

 depressed at once. 



In the moulting of the snake, which occurs yearly, and sometimes 

 oftener, the outer covering of these creeping scales is shed ; this is 

 true also of the covering of the eyes, so that the cast epidermis 

 represents, with great distinctness, the external features of the animal. 

 In moulting, the outer skin is broken along the back, near the head, 

 and the animal emerges, frequently drawing with him the skin, turn- 

 ing it inside out. Prof. Owen states, however, that in one instance 

 exuviation commenced by the snake rubbing the skin loose around its 

 jaws, working it back against the sides of its cage, when, putting its 

 head through coils made by its own body, it pressed back the skin, 

 turning it outward. We have observed that the black snake, on 

 moulting, becomes more sensitive and irritable, but shy, and inclined, 

 for a day or so, to keep close in a corner of his cage. The scaly cov- 

 ering of serpents must diminish their acuteness of touch ; but we have 

 found them sensitive to exceedingly slight irritation. They are with- 

 out an external ear, and the phrase " deaf as an adder " is a familiar 

 one. Nevertheless, they have organs of audition beneath the skin or 

 protecting membrane, and we know by experiment that snakes hear 

 and distinguish sounds, and are said in some instances to recognize the 

 voice of their keeper. Some species, it has been observed, are influ- 

 enced by music, and we quote the statement by Chateaubriand of an 

 incident witnessed by himself. He says : " The Canadian began to 

 play upon his flute. The snake (a rattlesnake) drew its head back- 

 ward, its eyes lost their sharpness, the vibrations of its tail relaxed, 

 and, turning its head toward the musician, remained in an attitude of 

 pleased attention." 



The snake-charmers (Fig. 3), familiar to travelers in Eastern coun- 

 tries, handle cobras with apparent impunity, cause them to advance 

 or retreat, to coil and uncoil, to bow their heads, or bring their deadly 

 mouths to their own by musical sounds, either vocal or instrumental. 

 A story is related of an English gentleman, residing in a mountainous 

 part of India, who was compelled to desist playing upon a flute be- 

 cause the music attracted serpents to his residence. The sense of taste 

 in serpents must be very feeble, as it is quite unserviceable. They 

 swallow their food whole, nor have they any teeth by which mastica- 

 tion can be accomplished. Their sense of smell is also obtuse. The 



