and squirrels, .change their hair in spring and fall; the "molt" of birds is 
well knowns In the case of snakes, the entire epidermis, including ¢ c 
ine the cornea of the cye, is sloughed off wholc. 
Tie process of slougning starts at the jaws and the snake sradiually crawls 
¢ cast-off epidermal lnyer. The length of time between successive 
sloughs varies. In captivity, some snekes shed about cvery month evon curing 
the coldest part of winter. The frequency ee sloughing varies with different 
individuals and possibly in the same individual at nee -Gth te agese Pror. Samucl 
Garman stated that a large kingsnake in his:possession shed its skin in April, 
dulz;, and December, and its mate in March, May, August, and October. These 
snakes were kept in a room throughout the year. 
Ordinarily, about two slouzhs are cast in a season; one when the snake 
comes out of hibernation in spring, end another about midsummer or laters A 
young anc growing snake, however, sheds its skin more frequently The milky 
appearance of the eyes of a snake shortly before the slough is oat is cue to the 
senaration of the outer layer of epicermis from the cornea, resulting in impairec 
Sione This gives rise to various superstitions regarding snakes going blind 
during the "dog-davs" of late summer. 
Meny of our common snekes are Largely beneficial anc snhouldé ve protected. 
such snakes are not poisonous and while they may bite or attemot to when captured. 
their dite is usually no more than a scratch end is nonvenomouse Snakes devour 
ve 
large numbers of insects and mice, many of which are injurious to garden crops 
cS > ov € £ 
and storec foodstuffs. 
One of the most abundant snakes in meny parts of this country is the com- 
mon garter, or ribbon, snaice oo The natural food of these snakes 
consists of salamanders, small frogs, earthworms, insects, spiders, and an 
occasional mousee When sraaeemee x are vlentiful they often subsist largely on 
theme 
The blacksnake (Coluber obsoletus) and the pine snake (Pituophis melanoleu- 
cus) suosist largely on ficld end meadow mice, chipmunks, tie anc young 
ai 
+ 
rapotcs, anc to a less extent on birds, frogs, and insects 
The house snake, or checkered aider (Lampropeltis trianzulum), lives in 
gardens and ficlds and although it is untirely harmless, there seems to be 
much superstitious fear of it. The name "house snake" has been given it because 
it enters dwellings esvecially in fall. More than half its yearly food consists 
of mice.- It has been inom also to eat other snakes 
The kingsnakes (Lampropeltis setulus) are able to kill rattlesnakes and 
have been knom to eat then. When the early settlers found these snakes fairly 
common throughout the region infested by rattlesnakes and moccasins, stories 
soon arose of their hunts for rattlers. ‘The kingsnaxe docs cat other snakes, 
Wot it does not celiberately hunt the poisonous kinds. 
The little red-vellied sneke (Storeria occipito-maculata) subsists to 
a large extent on slugs, vests very destructive to garden cropse ‘The Dekay 
snaice, or rock snake (Storeria dekayi)s ulso eats slugs, and in addition, 
