Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1873-04-02
RATTLESNAKEs AID THEIR HAB.

Ordinarily, the rattlesnake is ex
g. tremely sluggish, and unless moleste'
there is little TO fear from IL durinI
the greater portion of the year. Jus
before aud Just after its winter sleep
however, IL is more active, and oftef
assumes the offensive. In order Il
strike, It must lie in q close coll. with
its head aud neck erect. In this po
sition iU throws itself forward abou
three-fourths its length, supporting
its weight entirely upon the remain
ing fourth. When molested or alarmet
or when about TO attack, the rattle Il
violently shaken; but practically thii
serves little purpose as warming
since when excited the creature strikes
al the Intruder with the quickness o.
lightning, and almost simultaneously
with the sound OF the rattle. The
statement that the noise OF the rattle
Is peculiar, and once head will never
aiterWaId be mistaken, is emphati.
cally denied, the writer Averring that
he has known the opinions Of those
who had frequently heard the SQUAD
1 divided as 70 " neither q certain omi-
nous clicking arose from the grass
hOppers, which were there Ia great
numbers, or rattlesnake." Contrary
10 the the common belief, the reptile
alsU often leaves its hole aud moves
about after sundown, not seldom
crawling into tents, and even Into
beds. during the night. The notion
that veuemous snakes do not bite
twice in immediate succession Is also
pronounced erroneous, the writer
mentlUning 3 case where he saw the
rattlesnake strike three times with
electric Quickness, each time leaving
the marks OF its langs on the trousers
of the person attacked.
But with ali It's quickness and irri-
liability, the snake frequently refuses
to bite, even when crowded to the
closest quarters. 1t is related that
often when trOd on it fails 10 retaliate;
and one remarkable instance is given
where q agentIeman on coming out OF
tue river Platte after bath, and en-
tireIy naked, sat down upon . rattle-
snake, and discovering his mistake
resumed his legs, without suffering
auy harm beyond q severe fright
The peculiar odor Of the rattiesnake
is vouched for, and We are told that
when one is irritated and made to bite
the rake or hoe with which 1t Is in
tended to kill him, the implement
will retain the same unpleasant smell
for months. Once known, the odOr Is
always recognizable. ..Efid-1e . q
The bite OF the rattlesrake, accor-I
ding to this observers experience, is
neither so rapidly fatal nor 30 incura-
bic as most people suppose. OF thirty
persons bitten by the fattlesnake, he
states that all recovered but one, and
he lived twelve days after the acci-
dent. OF the whole thirty, this was
The only case which received surgical
advice: but whether it was the bite
or the advice that killed the patient
we are not inforIntd.
Whiskey the writer regards as
specific for the bite Ofthe rattlesnake,
and relates numerous instances which |
illustrate the wonderful power Of this
azent when administered in sufficient
Il is well known 20 phyri-
clans that persUns suffering from dis |
eases attended with severe pain Will |
Often tolerate much larger doses Of |
opium or other narcotic than could |
otherwise be borne. Persons poisoned /
by the bite Of rattlPsnake manifests
3 similar tolerance for immense doses
Of Whiskey, quantities sufficient TO
make q well perHon stupidity drunk or
even 70 destroy life, often producing
no visible effect upon the sufferer from
Yet, to be Of any service
20 the patient, Il is asserted that he
must be made thoroughly drunk be-
iOre il is safe 70 suspend the admins
ration ef the remedy. A quart or
more Of raw whiskey is frequently |
required to hiring about this eOndi-l
ion; but when once il IL attained,
10 further danger need be apprehen-
led. Ifsd
While the rsttlesnake Is found /
Ipread over large portion Of North
America, il is much more abuudanti
u some localities than In others.-i
Texas probably hold Rn Infinitely
arger portion of these reptiles than
my other State in the Union. The
district lying between the Rio Grande
md the Nueces, TWO streams which
low in the same direction and some
ixty or seventy miles apart, is q
lesert region, literally swarming with
DOIsOnous serpante. In summer"
ays our writer, Zone cannot 60 fifty
ards in this locality without seeing
rSttleenake. In other parts Of the
tate the moccason is tue prevalent
make; white eentipedes, scorpions,
and alligatOrs infest vari-
US localities, and each q terrible
courge."
All writers have hitherto coneurred
a saying that rsttlesnakes are never
net with Rt the elevation OF more
han 5000 Ieet above the sea leveL-t
he surveying party Of Mr.. Morley
iIled numbers Of them last year st
n elevation of about 8, 900 feet; it Is
dded, however, thatthey were never :
,und so high before. The mountain
lakes possess more vivid cOlors than
heir brethren of the prairies. and Of /.
he two are more dreaded on account
their supposed ferocity. - SctentIJSc
fisceitGny from april GALAXY.