ning a line through a copse. The Snake-fancier suddenly dropped the chain-handle, and jumped upon a bank. The next moment he came forward with two full-sized Snakes writhing about his hands and wrists. After viewing them some time with much affection and admiration, he said: ‘Why, bless you, sir, I know their ways as well as they do themselves.’ He then stepped to a road which was near at hand, and placed one of the Snakes on the hard ground; taking a thin twig, he tapped the reptile very gently on the head. It immediately darted towards him, when he presented his hand to its open mouth, and continued to play with it, now and then gently tapping it on the head with the twig. He then said that it should counterfeit death, and soon afterwards, the Snake to all appearance lay dead. Those who were standing by thought that this was actually the case; but the Snake-fancier said that it would soon become sprack again, if they left off looking at it; and accordingly, on their removing to a distance of between twenty and thirty yards, the Snake was observed to glide speedily into the nearest hedge. On one occasion, and upon one only, the same person saw a Snake in the act of casting its skin. He said, to use his own words, that it reminded him of a labouring man drawing his round or smock-frock over his head. He further added, that the head of the reptile was about midway in the old skin, and it extricated itself from the worn-out garment by passing the body through what he called the vent-hole of the old skin. The new skin was perfect in colour and appearance; but the Snake appeared in a very languid and exhausted state.”[1]
- ↑ “Gleanings,” p. 359
