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rough and leathery, as is the case with water lurtl €S 

 The tail is very rough and jagged, the jaws are strong 

 and dangerous to tamper with. When they once get 

 a hold of ones finger they seldom loosen the grasp till 

 beheaded. If a stick be placed near their mouth or 

 pointed at them^ they will spring at it in great rage. 

 When they spring at their foe they raise themselves 

 upon their feet and throw the body forward. The 

 water species are always very large and heavy^ some 

 requiring two or three men to turn them oven Some 

 of the water turtles furnish good eating, and their cap- 

 ture is exciting to those interested. The time chosen 

 to hunt them is at night when they come on shore to 

 deposit eggs. 



The snakes most frequently seen in this locality are 

 the garter snake, black snake and copper-head. The 

 first two named are harmless^ while the last one is poi- 

 sonous. All snakes, whether harmless or not are resent- 

 ful to the feelings, and on seeing one most people are 

 instantly seized with a desire to destroy it* Snakes are 

 long limber creatures without feet. Their motion is 

 produced by the action of the many bones whicli con- 

 stitute vertebral column. Snakes have the power of 

 charming birds, and when in this state they are help- 

 less. The young of birds and the eggs fall a prey to 

 the black snake quite frequently. Some of our birds 

 are so courageous as to drive ofE and often to kill their 

 enemy. Especially is this the case with the blue jay 

 and mocking bird of the south* The rattlesnake is a 

 terror and lives in the west. 



