The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-11-10
Rattlssnakes.

tract OF land in the interior OF Pom.
sylyRnia beyond the Allegheny Noun.
thins, The character OF the country
was varied by hill and slope, but with
avery considerable portion adapted for
farm lands, intercepted by good.sized
creeks and smaller streams, and covered
with q heavy growth Of timber, afori.
ing good cover for wild animals and
snakes.
The first sight ever had OF rattle.
snake was while watching the clearing
off q space for putting up q house.
From m elevated stand on fallen tree
| noticed large snake lying ut full
length, hut few feet from the wood.
choppers and near to one. Presenting
It had been killed by the men, ! jumped
down to look, and landed about foot
from his head, at which movement hO
coiled de6antly, and ], good deal
astonished ut this change, ut once re.
bounded and got clear. On turning TO
him again he appeared in the sane con.
dition Of coil but I, as afterwards
learned, was saie at the first jump, for
one foot in distance from his head on
the ground, added to sixteen inches re.
cession Of 1t to form his coil, made
distance he could not reach in his strike
the throwing forward OF his head In
that act being one.third Of his length,
he being about four feet long. 1t has
been often stated that lie puts forward
two.thirds OF his length; but that
could not be, owing TO its formation,
one.tourth being in the tail, one.thirl
in the neck and head tapering from the
thick body, and the body forming the
rest Of his whols length-that is, a four.
foot snake would, according 10 this
theory, have to throw forward thirty
two inches OF his length, and that rest
Ing on tapering tail rs base. This
is impossible. l have desired thus to
settle the point Of projection, from in.
formation received OF reliable woods
men.
Inow propose some account Of the
ratLlesnake at his den. On an secession
Of passing down the creek adjacent TO
my residence in search OF stray cows, ]
reached, about noon, u strip Of narrows
heavily wooded aud with much Drift
wood on the slope down to the water
edge. AT ono point large boulder or
rock had fallen from the hill and lay
about half its size in the stream, backed
by a growth OF wild grass, and on its
level top some tufts OF gross glowing
from the cavities. Ny dog, fine point.
er, suddenly barked. / soon perceived
It was at n snake, and moving quietly
forward, ! called the dog of, not wish.
ing to disturb the snake. and male a
detOur to get on the surface Of the rock,
which afforded q space OF about twelve
feet square. Passing between some
tufts, discovered on my right snake
Just emerging from them moving slow
towards me, in IN inquiring manner, Us
II to see what l was doing there. /
then advanced little to get out OF the
way, and Immediately on my left, some.
what in the rear from another tult came
Q snake IN manner similar to the first.
Finding it now time TO get of the rock
30 as to avoid all tufts, looked back
to the hill, and WI pile oil driftwoOd
lbont fifteen feet from me, there ap.
peared about SIX more OF these reptiles,
Rll quietly basking in the sun, and np.
parently indifferent 10 the.scene on the
reck. There may have been more in
number, but / did not look farther. As
did not contemplate fight, the only
course left was 10 take to the water,
Which accordingly did by jumping of
the rock, and made across the creek.
{" 1 was much struck by this encount.
or at their own home. II might have
been expected that, they would show
some alarm mud an appearance Of do.
fence, as is the case with most wild ami
mails at their denS, but here tho three
sentinals came slowly forward, their
heads slightly raised, in the manner
stated: no noise, no alarm shown. In
the wild woods where they roam singly
they move sluggishly, and You may
pass near without their attention but
il tao near they will rattle, and II you
persist they will coil in self.defence.
Rapidly whipping them with a long
switch, they will break the coil and run
away. ..H
The rattlesnake has q peculiar way Of
swimming. About half the thickness
Of the body shows above the surface,
and the head Is raised nearly foot
above the water, after the manner Of
the sea serpent, the tail acting as the
propelling power. ! once whipped one
Into the water and marvelcd at his
mode Of getting along, mud indeed felt |
rather superstitiOus on the subject.
Twill now give description OF the
fangs and the poison-receiyed from an
experienced naturalist. The fang may
be likened toa cats claw in shape
solid until near the root, where cavity
is formed, having small orifice ut the
bottom. Connecting with this cavity Is
duct leading 10 the back Of the head,
and there joining q bag containing the
poison. Tho fang is not set in the iaw
Mt right angles 10 il, as ~ generally
shown in drawings, but Vi IN angle that
allows sufficient length Of the point 70
make the wound. The length from
the orifce to tie point is about one
quarter OF an inOh-length Of the duct
to tue poisOn.bag one inch. It.will BIO
seen by this arrangement that wound
may be made without infusing tho
poison, II tie strike penetrates less
than quarter Of an ineli. II Is not
known whether the snake controls the
emission Of tlcpoison by action on the
bag II may be presumed That It does,
In procuring its prey,a hard ktrike
may be required, which, by going It's
full depth, would ininse The poison and
spoil its food. In the case Of wounds,
given in anger, that we hear of-some