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。