July, 1914 
HOUSE AND GARDEN 
13 
the animal reaches the snake’s throat an undulating motion 
of the neck commences which seizes the creature in suc¬ 
torial fashion and greatly assists the distended jaws. At 
this stage of the feeding the lower jaw bones may be so 
greatly strained from their setting that the upper bones 
alone are pulling in the animal, assisted by the movements 
of the neck. The snake’s eyes bulge and the skin of the 
neck is so distended that the rows of scales are widely 
separated. At frequent intervals the serpent pauses to 
rest, when it forces from between its pr£y and the lower 
jaw, the tubular breathing appendage; several breaths are 
taken when the heroic operation of swallowing goes on. 
At last the sinuous movements of the throat draw in the 
heavy prey, the tail only protruding in jaunty fashion like 
a long cigar. The head quickly assumes its normal outlines 
—only a few flabby folds at the chin and throat denoting 
the amazing feat that has taken place. A yawn or two 
effaces all traces of the task except the distended portion 
of the body slowly forcing the rat to the stomach by un¬ 
dulating movements of the muscles. The distortion be¬ 
comes stationary at about the geographical center of the 
reptile, and the snake crawls off to hide and to assimilate 
the meal. 
Limbless, and with no power of jaws aside from the 
peculiar walking movements of 
the loosely swung bones in 
engulfing the bulky food, it is 
of particular interest to note 
how snakes subdue their prey. 
The harmless serpents display 
several methods. Those that 
must kill such strong and sav¬ 
age animals as rats and the 
like resort to constriction. A 
snake of this type seizes an ani¬ 
mal in its recurved teeth, draws 
it backward, then coils about 
it with tightening folds. The 
description is misleading as to 
the agility and cunning of the 
operation, which is lightning- 
quick. Before the prey has time 
to give a startled squeak it is 
overpowered and covered with 
the coils. It is a far more clean 
and merciful killing than employed by the carnivorous mammals. 
Some harmless serpents, like the frog and fish-eating species, 
The milk snake has a gray body with reddish markings. It grows to a length of three feet 
and is found from New England to Florida 
have specially long and sharp 
teeth to hold the struggling 
prey, and hence never bother to 
constrict their victims, which 
are of the inoffensive type. 
Poisonous snakes stab their 
prey with the deadly fangs, and 
the bitten animal quickly dies. 
In the snake’s stomach the 
venom is harmless and actually 
hastens digestion. The char¬ 
acter of different serpents' food 
is varied, but each group rig¬ 
idly adheres to its characteristic 
food. The constrictors usually 
feed upon warm-blooded prey. 
The non-constricting species 
upon amphibians and fishes. 
Those poisonous snakes that 
“strike” their prey usually feed 
upon mammals and birds. Those that partake of cold-blooded 
food generally grip the prey with the fangs and hold it until dead. 
Few venomous snakes ever actually attack a man; their usual desire is to escape. 
The copperhead snake here shown is one of our poisonous species 
The slender coachwhip snake does not belie its name. It is like the black snake in 
its habits, but prefers the warmer southern climate 
This is the common water snake which credulous fishermen often mistake for the 
dangerous water moccasin of the Southern States 
