Danny Lyons, age 11, of Cleveland, Ohio, for his question:

WHERE THE GARTER SNAKE'S NAME COME FROM?

One of the most common snakes found in North America is called the garter snake because the striped backs and slender shapes are thought by many to look like garters, the leg bands that are used for holding up stockings.

The harmless garter snake can be found living in grassy fields and along streams in the southern parts of Canada, across the United States and as far south as northern Mexico.

Actually there are a number of different snakes that are all called garter snakes. They can vary in color from olive and brown to black and the stripes may be in yellow or green.

The true garter snake grows to be about three feet long. It eats fish, frogs, toads, earthworms and mice.

Babies are born alive to the mother and often there are 30 in a litter. There is no truth in the often told story that the baby snakes crawl into their mother's mouth if there is danger.