Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-01-10
THE CORAE.SNAKE.

1AS1 Ao' y dio W NSiAo'
TIL Z CORAL-SNAKE.
Nothing is needed in a tropical forest to OBJ
tain hospitable admission to that great theatre
in which is played sometimes comedy aud some
times tragedy most dreful that mighty play
house, built and warmed and painted with
glory Of loveliness by the imperial sun and
teeming Mother earth; the theatre in which
mans presence is an accident and an intrusion;
in which, If perceived, it overelouds the mirth
and gives the tragedy different climax. The
mountains OF old stone," these ancient
sepulchres are called by the natives, are always
filled with living things-rabbits, srmadilloes,
igusnas. snakes and tiger cats. Even King
.Jaguar himself does not disda ain to abide there,
if he can find a hole big enough to stretch his
huge carcass in. had not long to wait, there
fore, before the curtain rose on scene in the
forest drama which has been, and Is peri ming
night and day from time TO eternity.
"Tweety, tweety," chirped "gustuso," or
jungle-rabbt, pokiDg his droll head from hole
in the overthrOwp cairn. The short forelegs
followed the head, then the round, sleek body,
and the long, kangaroo-like quarters. Merrily
he hoped about, hitber and thither, now nib
bling the tendrils of a"yine," now scratching
at q root with his long claws. There is no fun
nier animal in the jungle than a guatuso, unless
II be monkey or raccoon, nor, indeed, is
there any better eating. 1 was already engaged
in compilation whether the big rabbit in hand
might not be a safer speculation than deer in
the savanna, when the little fellow suddenly ut
tered cry of alarm and bounded hOmeward.
Arrived at his hole, however, he did not enter
at once but raised himself on his hind legs TO
reconnoitre the enemy. \ dreadful enemy it
Like a long, polished necklace of Jet and cora
and pearl in alternate beads, the pursuer APP
peared, living Jewel that spanked and vanish
ed among the stones and heshy leaves. The
head, ensmeled in black and scarlet, was halt
raised as he slowly wound along, and the eyes,
small and rather dim, were fixed upon his vic
tim. Beautiful rather than terrible he must
have seemed to one who had never seen his like
before. Slender in shape, glossy, and so richly
yet tastefully colored, he reminded one of some
antique ornament that Cleopatra or Semiramis
might have worn round her dusky throat when
sitting in state upon her throne. But | knew
the death that lay beneath the beauty; recOg
nized at glance the terrible coral snake. ,
Now, L thought, is the opportunity TO watch
this process of fascination of which men tell, 1T,
indeed, 1t be real truth! Surely no snake
living has such occasion to use it as clumsy
corale in chase of a healthy guatusO. For all
his grace and color, this is the most helpless of
reptiles in taking prey, and, while watching the
slow movements OF the deadly snake, 1 could
not but wonder what the cause of his inactivity
might be. Put a Young corale of two feet long
he becomes stumpy after ward-beside a rat
tlesnake or a"tuboba," his body seems as 1.-THE
and powerful as theirs: strip off his jeweled
skin, the muscles are as symetrical. Yet the
rattlesnake or the tuboba, or any serpent that
exists, is a hundred times more active, and
therefore more dangerous to other animals.
"Now for the fascination" | thought, when
the corsle came fairly out, gliding with a slow
and labOred motion, and carrying its head HI Oh
er than do most serpents. But the guatuIsD.
the signs that are said to accompany fascina-
tioD. lie looked round piteously, calling his
note of alarm without ceasing, but the little
creature evidently knew his pursuer's slOwDesS.
The mystery was soon explained. When the
cOrale had arrived within three four feet OF
bis victim, an easy spring for any other serpent,
a second head was thrust from the nest in an
swer to repeased calls of distress, "Now )" said
10 myself, eve shall perhaps verify another
legend. The corale does not apparently fasc
nate the gUatusO. but possibly the female guat-
vi III hAyht q "A IN firnp
happens SO | MADE a bargain with myself.
II the rabbit dare 20 show light in defence OF
her Young, will interfere; If not, snake has
an equal right 10 live with any other animal
But it could be seen that the poor guatus0S
had no more intention of confirming Jungle
Legends than bad the cOrale; they showed no
fight at all. The male hoped hitheT.and thither,
frantic with terror. WHILE the female crouched
over her nest trembling. Silent and deadly AZ
an evil spirit the snake glided on. His scarlet
rings FADED and glowed by turns. now shining
like the brightest sealing wax and diving into
dull orange. When within fifteen inches of the
guatuso, corale's leap, he seemed TO pause, as
If medtatlng spring, but next instant his
steady crawling was resumed. Then the
mothers instinct showed itself stronger than
any tn ought of safety. With faint cry that
see med to bid her mate a last fare WE'LL the doe
guatulo plunged into the recess, and the long
ieweled body of the snake flashed after her.
faint struggle in the holes mouth Then
the rabbit leaped out weakly, bearing around
her neck a brighter, daintier necklace than
ever ieweler could enamel Within foot OF
the entrance she rolled over; the snake unwound
itself rapidly, looked at the cowardly mate with
dilated eyes, Kissed at him sharply in manner
that would have been comic in less terrible
creature, then glided back to its meal under
carn. The bitten guatuso struggled for "A mo-
meBt Oh the ground, then died in seeming ago
ny.
] stepped forward in haste. Disappointed bv
the cOTale in the matter of fascination, by it,
victim in the matter of fighting, there was still
hope to confirm third legend as to the effect
of this snakes venom. / drew my bowie, and
cut the rabbits throat, severing both jugular,
and carotid not a drop of blood flowed. The
story, then, which all believe in the jungle, that
a corsle's bite instantly solidifes the blood, Is
true. The arteries were filed with thick, pur-
pie jelly Camp Mites, by Frederick Boyle.