The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1869-06-24
a SHOWER OF SNAIIES--SERFESTS
by THE MILLION.

AhAh hAAGAON'
from the Illinois State Register. June j
The great storm Of last Friday nigh,
viii be long remembered 10 this State,
In addition 10 the details beJelo(oro civ.
Gu, we have information from a reliable
citizen Of great damage Of Taylorvillc =
The storm butsI in all its fury at that
place obou, dark, and the rain fell in
torrents, The olectric storm presented
tho same features 90 here. The wind
however, was more violent, and with in
termissions blow in great strength from
every tlirecttcu Several buiidiugs Esro
damageI, and young hickory tees art.
uaIly twisted OF by the wind. The
growing crops were pfostraled by the
wind, and beaten into lilo ground BY the
rain aud hail. Blu, the mos. singular
phenomenon, and one which was not
youchsafed TO my other commUoity.
was a shower Of euakes. We have here.
toToro reed ofstowers Of eanl, Of fish,
and sometimes showers Of ltsh, but nev.
er before Of shower Of snakes: AMI yet
we are we'll assured that the phenomena
which occurred 90 last Friday uigbt cac
be described in no more citing terms
On Saturday aoj Sunday lpSt, every
ditch. brook, spring, and pool on tho
praido North of 'raylorvile was alive
with nondesctipt creatures, which have
been described TO Us as being from one
and half 10 two Ieet long, and Of three
lou,tbs Of un inch to an inch ia diane.
ter This diameter is very slightly less
cncd at the head and tail. The tail ia
fat, ,like tho. Of an eel, but hos no codal
fn; indeed, there is no fn Of all The
head i5 in shape that Of On eel, but The
mouth is that Of a sucker. The eyes
ore small and the ears are simply oriG.
ccs Immediately behind the head, on
esrh side is a Apper, like that of a tur,
tie, say threo- iourhs of an inch to M
inch ii length including the limb, which
bas a perfectly developed joint, In col
or these snakes or whatever they are,
are of dark hue
The number Of these croa!ures is be,
yond oll estimate, They swim in etoty
branch and puddle of water. Their
mode Of progression, in addition to tho
undulaiory motion Of a snake in the wo-
ter, is by the use Of the fipper describ.
ed above, and they sw m entirely undct
the water or with the head and fow
inches Of the body above the surface,
thus indicating that The appers are not
absolutely essential 10 motion, They
are perfectly harmless. Boys and mOn
take them from The pools in hundreds,
and they are brought TO 0wn for inspect
ion.
We ave willing to admit tbsl our
knowledge of icltbyoloRy is not snllj.
cicnt to determine what lhey arc, ELS
have teeth, are carniverous, and some
species are very vorcious and brlliser.
ent, These creatures Of the genius ev
oIop.crus, or suckers, have no teeth,
and ase evidently unprepared for attack
and except by flight, arc derencocss. =
Furthermore they have no fns, and
lhcir fippers arc only atjunois. aud not
their principal means Of progression--
They are not serpcnts, as they want
laugs, either hooded or naked, which n-
vorably distinguished the order Of oPh.
dinns,
We will not weary our readers with
any speculation on subject conlossedly
beyond our knowledge Wc arasppm,
ised somo specimens, which viii Gtsbb
mited 10 nutunliss oI acknowledged
ability, whose opiuions We shall lay bs
H., tkn ,,ukiio