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MANUAL OF NATURE STUDY. 
What sort of tongue has the snake? Why does 
he almost constantly keep darting it out of his 
mouth? Examine the frog’s tongue. Why is it 
long and sticky ? How does it catch its food ? 
Would a fleshy, sticky tongue be of any use to a 
snake ? Explain that the snake does not seek for 
gnats and flies as a frog does, but for much larger 
animals, such as grasshoppers, frogs, birds and 
mice, and that to hold such animals, a sticky tongue 
would be of no particular use. A frog sits nearly 
still upon its feet, slightly throwing its body and 
head forward as it thrusts out its long, sticky tongue 
to capture a fly or gnat that happens to draw too 
near. The snake, with mouth wide open, throws 
the front part of its body forward, and between its 
wide open jaws, siezes its prey. The lower jaw is 
composed of two parts, separated longitudinally, 
each part moving forward and backward freely upon 
the other. The upper jaw is provided with teeth 
that point backward toward the throat; also each 
half of the lower jaw is so provided. Then in 
swallowing food, the prey, while still alive, is held 
firmly between the upper jaw and one half of the 
lower jaw. The other half of the lower jaw is 
thrust forward for a new hold. The process of 
swallowing has been compared to a boy in a fixed 
position pulling a load towards him by means of a 
