The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1873-04-17
Rattlesnakes and their Habits.

little to fear from it during the greater
portion of the year just before and
after its winter sleep, however it is more
active, and often assumes the offensive
In order to strike. it must lie 10 close
coil, with its head and neck erect. In
this position it throws itself forward about
three fourths its length, supporting its
weight entirel ly upon the remaining fourth.
When moested or alarmed, or when
about to attack, the rattle is violently
shaken but practically this serves little
as warning, since when excited the
creature strikes at the intruder with the
quickness of lighting. aud almost sim
ultaneously with the sound of the rattle.
The statement that the noise of the rattel
is peculiar and once heard will never
afterwards be mistaken, is emphaticaly
denied, the writer averring that he has
known the opinions of those who had
frequently heard the sound divided as
to whether a certain ominous clicking
arose from the grasshoppers, which were
there in great numbers, or the rattle
snake" Contrary to the common belief,
the reptile often leaves its hole and
moves about after sun down, not seldom
crawling iuto tents, and even into dens
during the night. The notion that
venomous snakes do not bite twice in i'm
mediate succession is also pronounced
erroneous, the writer mentioning "a cas-
where he saw the rattesnake strike three
times with electric quickness. each time
leav ng the marks of IFS iangs on the
trousers of the person attacked.
But with all its quickness and irrita
bIity, the snake frequently refuses to
bite, even when crowded into the closest
quarters 1t is related that often when
trod on it fails to retaliate aud one re
markable instance is given where a
gentleman on coming out of the river
Platte after a bath, and entirely naked,
sat down upon a rattlesnake, aud dis
covering his mistake suddenly resumed
his legs, without suffering any harm
beyond a severe fright The peculiar
odor of the rattlesnake is vouched for,
and we are told that when one is irritat
ed and made to bite the rake or hoe with
which it is intended to kill him, the
implement will retain the same unpleasant
smell Tor months. Once known, the
odor is always recognizable.
The bite OF the rattlesanke, according 2
to the observers experience, is neither
SO rapidly fatal nor SO iucurable as most
people suppose. Of thirty persons bitten
by the rattlesnake, he states that all re
covered but one, and that he lived twelve
DAYS after the accident OF the whole
thirty, this was the only case which re
ceived surgical advice but whether il
was the bite or the advice that killed the
patient we are not informed.
Whiskey the writer regards as a
specific for the bite Of the rattlesnake
and relates numerous instances which
illustrate the wonderful power of this
agent when administered in sufficient
quantity. 1t is well known to physicians
that persous suffering from diseases at
tended 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
a rattlesnake manifest similar tolerance
Tor immense doses of whiskey, quantities
sufficient to make a well person stupidity
drunk, or even to destroy life, often
producing no visible effect upon the suf
ferer from snake bite Yet to be of any
service to the patient, it is asserted that
he must be made thoroughly drunk be
fore it is safe to suspend the aduiuistra
tion of the remdy A quart of raw
whiskey is frequently required to bring
about this condition but when once
attained, no further danger need he ap-
pretended.
While the rattlesnake is found spread
over large portion of North America. il
is much more abundant in some localities
than in others. Texas probably holds an
infinitely larger proportion OF these re
ptiles than any other State in the Union
The district lying between the Rio
Grande and the Nueces. two streams
which flow in the same direction, and
some sixty or seventy miles apart, is a
desert region, literally swarming with
poisonous serpents. '.In summer" says
our writer, lone cannot go fifty yards in
this locality, without seeing rattlesnake
To other parts of the State the moccasin
is the prevalent snake while centipedes,
scorpions. tarantulas, and alligators. in
fest various localities, aud are each a
terrible scouage."
AL writers have hitherto concurred in
saying that rattlesnakes are never met
with at an elevation of more than 600
ieet above the sea level The surveying
party of Mr. Morley killed numbers OF
them last year at an elevation of about
5000 ieet it is added however. that they
were never found SO high before The
mountain snakes possess more vivid colors
than their brethren of the prairies. and
of the two are more dreaded on account
Of their supposed ferocity = Scientj jfc
Miscellany from April GALAXY
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