13．The Hognose Snake，One of Nature's Clowns

The hognose snake，sometimes called the puff adder，is one of nature's clowns．Some people think that he is deadly poisonous．Actually，he's just a harmless fellow who spends most of his time huntingtoads．

The puff adder gets his name from being a terrific bluffer．He will swell up，hiss，and strike viciously to frighten you away．If that doesn't work，he will flatten out，making his head look like a cobra's．

He has one more trick——playing dead．He goes limp，opens his mouth wide，and rolls over on his back so that he couldn't possibly look more dead．

Unfortunately，this trick is spoiled by his one—track mind．If you pick him up he lies still．But turn him over and he will thrash about wildly，trying to turn himself belly up again．

13．猪鼻蛇——自然界的一名丑角

猪鼻蛇，有时也被称作膨身蛇，是自然界丑角中的一员。有人认为它是剧毒蛇，其实，它恰恰是无害的，其大部分时间用于捕捉蟾蜍。

膨身蛇，因虚张声势吓唬人而得名。为了把人吓跑，它会鼓起身体，发出嘶嘶声并凶恶地咬人。假如这一手不能奏效，它便放平身体，使它的头看起来像眼镜蛇的头一样。

它还有这样一招——装死。它让身体变得疲软无力，把嘴巴张得老大，然后翻转身体使背朝下。这样，看起来它可真像死的一样。

不幸，这一招被它那想法单一的头脑给搅了。如果你把它捡起来，它就躺着一动不动；可是如果把它翻过身来，它便会发疯似地到处滚动，竭力让自己再来个肚皮朝天。