60 STATEN ISLAND INSTITUTE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES 
sulted from the snakes all going to the same place, though at dif- 
ferent times, to shed their skins.” 
On May 16, 1885, the writer was in the vicinity of Uncle Ed. 
Wood’s brook, Tottenville, and hearing a rustling among the dead 
leaves on the ground, supposed that a snake was close by. Soon 
two blacksnakes were observed, one of which almost immediately 
made off, going down to the brook side where the underbrush was 
thicker. The remaining snake was watched for some time in ex- 
_pectation that it would act, but it remained quiet. Finally it was 
poked gently with a stick, when it vibrated its tail, causing a 
menacing sound among the dead leaves. It was made to repeat 
this about a half dozen times and would vibrate its tail among the 
leaves every time I stamped on the ground. The snake was fol- 
lowed slowly about as it went from clump to clump in the bushes, 
and in order to escape it climbed upon the catbriers and very grace- 
fully made off, going from bush to bush with great rapidity, and 
in the same direction as did the first snake when it was disturbed. 
After a considerable time it was at last observed to climb a catbrier 
that was tangled about a small elm tree. It went from branch to 
branch until it was about half way up the little tree, where it 
remained, and I was surprised to see another snake, no doubt the 
one that had at first made off, in the top branches of this same elm. 
The writer then sat down to observe what would happen but the 
reptiles seemed much inclined to remain as they were. Birds were 
very numerous, and soon two catbirds came to the adjoining tree, 
but they did not observe the snakes, nor did numerous other birds 
that came to the neighboring trees. At last two more catbirds, or 
they may have been the same two, came to an adjoining tree, and 
in the middle of his song the male stopped short and called his cry 
of alarm; he had discovered the snakes. The birds then flew many 
times very close to the snake lowest down on the tree, often not 
being a foot away. In a short time a brown thrasher, probably 
attracted by the cries of the catbirds, flew to the tree, and with 
feathers ruffled showed he was angry. He hopped about for a few 
