WAYS OF NATURE 



rel-catching by its mother, I shall know he is a pre- 

 tender. 



Speaking of snakes reminds me of an incident I 

 have several times witnessed in our woods in con- 

 nection with a snake commonly called the sissing or 

 blowing adder. When I have teased this snake a few 

 moments with my cane, it seems to be seized with an 

 epileptic or cataleptic fit. It throws itself upon its 

 back, coiled nearly in the form of a figure eight, and 

 begins a series of writhings and twistings and con- 

 vulsive movements astonisliing to behold. Its mouth 

 is open and presently full of leaf -mould, its eyes are 

 covered with the same, its head is thrown back, its 

 white belly up; now it is under the leaves, now out, 

 the body all the while being rapidly drawn through 

 this figure eight, so that the head and tail are con- 

 stantly changing place. What does it mean ? Is it 

 fear ? Is it a real fit ? I do not know, but any one of 

 our romance-naturalists could tell you at once. I can 

 only suggest that it may be a ruse to baffle its enemy, 

 the black snake, when he would attempt to crush 

 it in his folds, or to seize its head when he would 

 swallow it. 



I am reminded of another mystery connected with 

 a snake, or a snake-skin, and a bird. Why does our 

 great crested flycatcher weave a snake-skin into its 

 nest, or, in lieu of that, something that suggests a 

 snake-skin, such as an onion-skin, or fish-scales, or 

 a bit of oiled paper ? It is thought by some persons 

 17 



