. The book of a naturalist [microform]. Sciences naturelles; Natural history; Animal behavior; Animaux. THE SERPENT'S TONGUE 141 habits has more ways than one of making itself conspicuous to and warning off any la^ heavy animal that might injure by passing over and treading on it; and I think that in ophidians of this temper the tongue has become, incidentally, a warning organ. Small as it is, its obtrusion is the first of a series of warning motions, and may therefore be considered advantageous to the animal; and, in spite of its -^^mallness, I believe that in very many instances it accomplis
. The book of a naturalist [microform]. Sciences naturelles; Natural history; Animal behavior; Animaux. THE SERPENT'S TONGUE 141 habits has more ways than one of making itself conspicuous to and warning off any la^ heavy animal that might injure by passing over and treading on it; and I think that in ophidians of this temper the tongue has become, incidentally, a warning organ. Small as it is, its obtrusion is the first of a series of warning motions, and may therefore be considered advantageous to the animal; and, in spite of its -^^mallness, I believe that in very many instances it accomplishes its purpose with- out the aid of those larger and violent movements and actions resorted to when the danger becomes pressing. All large animals, including man, when walking on an open space, see the ground before them, with every object on it, even when the head is raised and when the animal's attention is principally directed to something in the distance. The motions of the legs, the exact measurement of every slight obstruction and object in the way—hillocks, de- pressions in the soil, stones, pebbles, sticks, etc.— are almost automatic; the puma may have nothing but his far-seen quarry in his mind, and the philo- sopher be thinking only of the stars, as they move, both quite unconscious of what their feet are doing; but the ground must be seen all the same, otherwise they could not go smoothly even over a compara- tively smooth surface. When the man or other animal progressing in this ordinary way comes to where a serpent, with a protective or assimilative colour and appearance, lU k. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Hudson, W. H. (William Henry), 1841-1922. London ; Toronto : Hodder and Stoughton
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