Marcia Lynn Gillespie, age 8, of Avalon, Texas, or her question:

How does a snake shed his skin?

It is very hard work for a snake to shed his skin. The old coat dries and becomes hard as the new one grows underneath. Mr. Snake has a few tight‑fitting, uncomfortable days.

He usually crawls painfully towards a sharp stone or rough tree trunk. The changing operation begins when he rubs his mouth and nose against the hard object, This loosens the dry old skin around his head. It comes away, leaving a hole. Mr. Snake has to crawl out of this hole head first leaving his old skin behind him.

The job is hard because he has no hands to help him change clothes= no feet to kick himself free. He often helps himself by wriggling and writhing through rough grass, sand and stones. It may be several hours before the job is done. When free at last, he goes off happily in his new bright, clean coat. The job, he thinks, was well worth the trouble.