The Arizona sentinel., 1877-07-14

that kind of 8 life for many years
 in California before coming here.
 In all candor we maintain that we
 never saw here more than twenty
 rattlesnakes altogether. That is
 no proof that there are none here, but 1t is fair evidence that they
 are not numerous. Every "ten-
 derfoot" that comes here by lail
 goes back with string of adven-
 lures and hair breadth escapes,
 and with stories of Indians and
 reptiles.
 Read what the New York Sun says about
 RATTLE SNAKES IN FLORIDA.
 The rattlesnake is divided into
 two families. The most viruIent is the ground rattler. It is be- tween twelve and twenty inches long, and not much larger than a lead pencil. It coils, springs its tiny rattle, and jumps the same as it's larger brother. Its skin is a bright black in color; but the di3.- mond marks are not so clearly defined as in the big rattler. Dur. ing the hot summer days it lies under the saud-sweeping palmetto fans, or creeps into gardens and sleepsin the shade of the cabbages or bananas. In clearing up litter man might easily pick up one unaWares. The genuine rattle snakes grow to mOnstr0us size, and their cOlOrs are more brilliant than those of the northern species. They have been killed twelve feet long, and as large around as stove pipe. Captain Devall of Palatka ayers that he saw one, twenty odd years ago, with forty seven rattles. Incredible as this may seem, Colonel Pratt, of the Palatka Herald, declares that he has seen one with fifty-twO. These serpents frequent high, sandy ridges, and occasionally turk in gardens and plowed fields. They have even been known to make their way into barns and houses. The beach scrub, when seldom burned, is alive with them. Some monsters have been killed on An astasia island. opposite St. Angus tine. The enemies of the rattle snake include the hog, the deer and the eagle. The hog thrusts his fat chops into the snakes face, meekIy receiving it's bite. siezes it by the neck, places its hoof on its body and tears it asunder. N0I blood is drawn, the poison is harm less in the fat, and the porker gets a fair meal. A drove of hogs will clear the widest country of rat tlesnakes. When buck sees a rattler he springs upon it like lightning, bringing it's feet to- gether on its head and body, thus cutting it all to pieces; fer the hoOfS of Floridian deer are as hard aud sharp as razor. An eagle kills the snake while it is stunning itself. The bird descends with the rapidity of an arrow. striking the animal with such | force as to sever the vertabrae.
 But the deadliest foe of the rat. tier is the common black snake. l He is public benefactor, and | ought to be protected by the State i Legislature, even if he does pick | up chicken or two occasionally. ! He grows very long and, unlike his northern compeer, never as- sails human being. The rattler fears and shuns him, and we'll he may, for the black snake is as agile and quick as the handspring of a watch, and as fuli of fight as a bull dog. Meeting his antagonist he attacks without delay. After coiling and sounding an alarm the rattler keenly watches it's assail- ant. At first the black snake slowly glides around its spiral enemy, as if studying it's weak points. He frequently misses and increases his speed with each cycle, ever keeping his eye on the rattler. The latter twists his head with every revolution of its assailant. Swifter sweeps the black snake around the circle. At the full bent of his speed the rattler grows dizzy. In twinkling he is caught by the throat, and the coils of the two snakes are intermingled. The contest is decided by main As they writhe in the grass the superior prowess of the black snake is manifest. The rattler is slowly strangled. Som e. times its body is swallowed, but this does not always follow. The coach whip, long clean-cut snake frequently assists the black snake, and instances are given in which a dozen coach-whips and black joined forces and killed a small regiment of rattlers.
 Vultures and buzzards, with all their appetite for carion, will neV-