eggs inside

All night a beautifully quiet, warm, and steady rain created a greenhouse atmosphere. A morning walk with my umbrella (see foot note*) gave me a look at many reptiles and amphibia. Black water snakes were crossing the path in persuit of prey. Looking at these fat females made me think of their beautiful inside (tube within a tube).

The eggs inside their full uteri will hatch (ovo-vivipar) and the small "worms" will be born live.

*Why do the English call a protection from rain an umbrella (umbra = shade) ?
in other languages there is a clear distinction for a cover from rain like "Regen Schirm" versus "Sonnen Schirm" or "parapluie" versus "para sol" etc.
I think the British went for holidays in Italy and needed to have protection from the sun. The Italians gave them umbrellas. Once back home they discovered that they were useful in the perpetual rain as well. They never needed to make a distinction between sun and rain.