THE ART OF SNAKE
CHARMING
This art has been practised from very ancient times in Africa and the East, and often remains from generation to generation the profession of a family. It is sometimes practised for alleged useful purposes, since the “charmers” are often employed to clear a house of its unwelcome snake visitors. For the most part, however, it is, like conjuring, a form of popular amusement. In India it is practised by several distinct classes of men, who vary in the methods and success of their art. The charmers usually take good care to play with snakes whose fangs or even poison-glands have been carefully removed, or even to use those which are not venomous at all. The frequent use of a musical pipe, and the way in which the snakes seem to respond to the sounds, are facts interesting to naturalists, who believe that at least many snakes are very deaf. The charmers sometimes manifest a fearlessly confident dexterity in handling intact venomous snakes.
THE WISDOM OF THE
SERPENT
In correlation with the presence of a well-developed brain, snakes may be regarded as the most intelligent of reptiles, though the idea of their “wisdom” probably took origin in their stealthy ways, and the curious “fascinating” powers already mentioned. They are among the numerous animals that have been the objects of superstitious worship.
AMERICAN AND OTHER
SNAKES
The group of North American snakes include a large number of Colubrine snakes and about a score of pit-vipers or rattlesnakes. Among the Colubrine forms are the water-snakes, the black snakes and coachwhip snakes of the genus Coluber, the pine-snakes, the king-snakes, the ring-necked snakes and so on. Besides the rattlesnakes proper, there are the related copperheads and mocassins. Outside these two families there are the boa-like and venomous coral-snakes, and the harlequin snake.
There are no snakes in Ireland, nor are they represented in most oceanic islands such as New Zealand and Iceland. The pythons and boas are distinctly tropical snakes: the pythons in Africa, India, Malaya, Australia; the boas in tropical America. Among the most important venomous snakes of India are the following: the cobra, the Hamadryas, the Krait, the Sankni, and the sea-snakes.
AMPHIBIANS (Amphibia)
FROGS, NEWTS, SALAMANDERS AND TOADS
The amphibians hold a middle position between the reptiles and fishes. The name, Amphibia, means “double-lifed” or living on both land and water. The larvæ, after leaving the eggs, live in the water like fishes; they gradually accustom themselves to live in the air, and when their metamorphosis is complete they breathe by means of lungs.
They have red, cold blood, and are enveloped in a smooth, often slippery, skin. Some have tails, like the newt and salamander, and others are tailless, like the frog and toad.