HOGNOSE. A harmless American serpent, remarkable for its blunt snout and curious man ncrs. Three species form the colubrine genus Ileterodon, all confined to North America, ex clusive of the Pacific Coast and Mexico. The best known species (Ileterodon platyrbinus) is one of our most common and widespread snakes. It is usually about two, but may be three, feet long. and is normally reddish-brown above, heavily blotched or obscurely barred with a darker tint; and underneath is greenish-white. Great variety in color and markings exist, however, and many seem sooty black or dark slate all over. It is always to be recognized by its pig-like snout and its extraordinary behavior when disturbed. It is timid and will hide or escape when possible; but if surprised or cornered it will throw itself into vigorous contortions, and perhaps soon tumble over on its back as if dead; or, more probably, it will inflate its long lung until its body swells up like a sausage, and at thy same time extend its anterior ribs until its neck is surprisingly broad and flat, and then, opening wide its great mouth, will blow and hiss loudly. This alarm ing menace is meant to terrify its foes, and has led to the popular names of 'blowing viper,' `spreading adder,' etc., and to the general belief that it must be very poisonous. Its blotched back,
easily mistaken by the unobserving for that of a copperhead, adds to its evil reputation. Never theless, this snake is entirely harmless, and when handled is found to be so gentle that it can hardly be forced to bite.
It feeds on mice, frogs, insects, birds' eggs, and so on, all obtained on the ground, for it is un able to climb trees. It lays a number of eggs, about an inch in length, in loose soil, into which it burrows for this purpose. The eggs are cov ered with a tough parchment-like coat, and prob ably hatch in a few days. There seems to bo no precise time of laying; young have been re ported from May until September. The young just issued from the egg will go through their contortions and hissing when molested, as do the adults. Much interesting inf .rmation as to their breeding and other habits, collected by Abbott, Hay, and others, will be found summarized in Cope, Crocodilians, Liz'ards, and Snakes, pub lished by the Smithsonian Institution (Washing ton. 1900).
The Southern States have a second species (Heterodon simus), and Texas and the Mexican border a third (ifetcrodon nasievs), in which the point of the snout is longer and more up turned than in the Northern forms.