Charles Stewart, age 8, of Crawfordville, Ga for his question:

How man different snakes are there?

The experts have named about 2,300 different snakes. This is about the number of people who live in a medium‑sized village. Most of the snakes are known and named, But it could be that someone will discover an unknown snake next week or next year. There are at least 50 sea snakes. These excellent swimmers live in tropical seas where they feed on fish. Every one of them is dangerously poisonous.

Snakes live wherever the clinate is not too cold. There are no snakes in polar regions, Certain islands have no snakes. It is true that there are no snakes in Ireland‑‑except in zoos. Most of the snakes that live on land are harmless fellows like the pretty little grass snake. They feed on rats, mice, moles, frogs and insects. Many of these creatures are our enemies. So we might say that the snakes who gobble them up are our friends.

This may be true. However, we must never forget that certain snakes are deadly dangerous. The poisonous snakes are always ready to bite. Some, like the deadly rattlesnake, have poisoned fangs which can kill a man in a few hours. The boa snakes kill by coiling around a victim and suffocating him. The boas are big snakes and we usually find them in the tropics.

Of the more than 2,000 different land snakes only 250 are poisonous. This means the minority of 9 or 10 per cent has given the entire snake family a bad name. Some people hate all snakes because rattlesnakes are dangerous. We do not have to hate all snakes. But we do have to be careful. This means that we should learn to recognize the various snakes that live in our neighborhoods.

Your local zoo or library can help you do this. Perhaps your teacher has a list of the snakes you should. watch and beware. Your scoutmaster is certain to know. For each state and each locality has its own snake menaces. When you know all about these few delinquents, you are free to study and enjoy the far larger number of harmless snakes.

One of these harmless fellows may make an interesting pet. Give him a large dry box from which he cannot escape. Not everyone likes snakes. Andy's true friends are all too grown up to scare neighbors and relatives by letting a pet snake crawl where he should not be.

Each type of snake has his own favorite food, so you will have to check on what to feed your pet. He eats fresh meat and he swallows it whole, usually alive and kicking. As a rule, he rests for a day or two after one big meal, Some of the big boas rest for months after a big meal.