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Q: My little brother wants to know: How does a snake swallow an egg?

Abby Gates, Macon

A: To swallow an egg, a snake makes use of its unique jaws. The lower jaws on all snakes are joined loosely to their skulls, and their upper jaws are moveable. A snake opens wide and begins to enclose its mouth around the end of an egg. It swallows the whole thing by shifting-or advancing-one side of its jaw, then the other, over the egg. Snakes do not chew; they swallow everything whole. A snake's loosely hinged jaws allow it to swallow food that is up to three times the size of its head.

To find an egg or other prey, such as rodents, birds, insects or spiders, snakes rely on their tongues. Their long, forked tongues-which aren't dangerous or venomous-pick up smells from their surroundings and transfer them to special sense organs located in the roofs of their mouths. They use their tongues to "smell" food and also to locate mates during the breeding season.

Q: What sounds do white-tailed deer make?

Kyhl McCurdy, 6th grade, Jefferson City

A: Usually adult deer are silent, but they can make sounds. A fawn makes a bleating or "baa" sound to call its mother. Does, in turn, call to their fawns by making low murmuring sounds. When adult males are fighting with one another or become injured, they "bawl." During the fall mating season, males make grunting noises. Sometimes deer will let out a hoarse, high pitched shriek when they are frightened, and all deer snort or blow through their nose. People also use the word "bark" to describe some sounds made by adult deer.

In addition to making sounds with their mouths, deer also communicate with one another through scent glands, by stamping their feet, by moving their heads, tails and ears and by adjusting their posture.

Q: Why do bats hang upside down?

Tiffany Gifford, 4th grade, Springfield

A: One of the main reasons bats hang upside down may have to do with the way bats' feet and legs are designed. Their leg bones are delicate, small and extremely light. This makes flying easier, but their legs aren't strong enough or designed for sitting up or perching. Their toes also appear better suited for hanging on rough surfaces than for wrapping around a tree limb or telephone wire and sitting like a squirrel or bird.

It may also be most efficient and easy for bats to start flying from an upside down position. Bats that live in caves sometimes squeak while hanging upside down, and they cluster together to keep warm. Given the way their leg bones have evolved and the way they take off for flight, it may simply boil down to this: they are most comfortable that way.