Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-05-21
Serpent and squirrel.
= GEOLOGICAL ROMANCE.
Cine nuati Enquirer.


The recent ign6minous defca. Of lero-
cious young lioness by an humble and ugly
donkey in our geological Garden has curl
Gus parallel in the result OF a deadly combat
Wednesday evening between large diamond
rattleSnake and little squirrel during the
snake exhibition over the Rhine, at 30
Vine street The snake was one of the
largest OF its species. six feet and a hail IN
length, and having been without food for
months was inclined to act on the offensive
the squirrel was inexperienced in serpent
warfare, but wonderfully plucky. On the
whole. We are inclined to consider the poor
little squirrel as having distinguished him
self even more than the brave donkey whose
prowress has been ably memorialized in mar
bic by Cincinnati sculptor When the
squirrel had been placed in the cage. the
slimy-shining monster Immediately sprang
his rattle and cOied to strike while the
squirrel, having taken good look all aronnd
the cage, and found escape to be impossible,
prepared himself for the worst, watching
his glittering-eyed enemy with fierce reSolu-
ton. The spectacle became highly interest
ing to the spectators, for the deadly ophid-
ian was contcnding with far higher form
Of life, finer organism. more intelligent
being, than the helpless creatures which or
dinarily supplied him with food. Snake and
squirrel alike poised themselves for the
spring, the tail Of the former vibrating so
rapidly as to become almost invisible, and
emitting n sound like the buzz Of a brazen
coek-work the tail Of the latter trembled
slightly, with the tension Of the squirrel
muscles. Suddenly a siekly CLEAN OF livid
white shot across the cage, and struck the
squirrel below the neck, once, twice, with
the rapidity of an electric flash. The spec
tators ceased to laugh and whisper the
sight was too horrible But the brave little
squirrel did not shrink, or drop. lie sprang
forward to meet his terrible foe, and caught
the writhing tail between his keen teeth.
There was cracking sound like the crush
ing Of chicken-bones, a hideOusly shrill hiss,
an agonized wriggle through the long speck-
led Dody, and the next instant the squirrel
was wrapped in the coils of the serpent,
while the fragments of the bony rattles fell
on the floor OF the cage, crushed into tiny
sli1ers But the squirrel still showed no
fear, although the many colored folds tight
eued about him, and the awful triangular
head approached with wide-open jaws and
needIe-sharp fangs, and eyes in which the
yellow iris circle seemed transformed to flame.
There was another sickly flash of white, as
tine livid serpent-belly turned upward with
the effort Of the last ven0mous stroke. The
iangs never reached the squirrel. lie caught
the speckled neck between his keen teeth,an
inch below the deadly head with its horrible
ewes and the horrible ewes started out un-
der the pressure. There was another crack
ling sound, another series of ghastly con-
vuisions. and the horrible fanged mouth
opened for the lust time. The squirrel
shook the reptile between his strong jaws
until the clammy coils dropped from about
him and then flung the whole squirming
mass from him. 1t writhed once or tSice,
half-coiled and lay still. 1t was dead.
The squirrel Immediately after became
very sick, and dropped into state of appar-
ent coma. thus giving the impression that it
was dead. But it revived a little yesterday,
and may possibly recover. Certainly every
care should be taken of it ; fol braver
fight has never been made by 50 helpless an
animal against so deadly an enemy. The
snake will be stuffed.