HOW A SNAKE MOVES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 285, 1 December 1934, Page 3 (Supplement)

HOW A SNAKE MOVES.

(gent in by Stella Roberton, Cottage 110, Railway Row, Oliakune Junction.)

The gliding motion of a snake is one! of the most marvellous things in natural history. Three parts of the snake combine to provide the movements—the backbone 1 , ribs and largo horny scales. By muscles moving in these parts the snake is enabled to glide along. The snake has many ribs, one for each part of the backbone, and it actually walks on these ribs, which are covered with scales. By the action of the muscles connected to the ribs, the scales move forward one after the other, and thus produces the gliding motion. The body always moves from side to side in a wriggling manner, which is allowed by the very flexible backbone. Hunters know that this bone is easily broken. The way in which a snake glides can be compared to the rowing of a boat; the ribs correspond to the oars, and grip the ground by the scales, just as tlio oars grip the water. The only difference is that a snake's back is moving, while a boat is still.

If we watch the motion of a snake we see the movement pass along its whole length in a wavy manner as each rib moves up after the last in quick succession.