The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-06-16

1 The Deadly Rather and His DestrOyer-A Good
Word for the Black suake-The Reptile thai Never
Attacks Man--The Scayenger Of Creation Getting
Square Meal-Judge connors Wifes Escape.
You may spend the whole winter fishing
and hunting in Florida, and not see u
snake. This is easily explained. For
years the peninsula has been a vast cattle
range. During spring and autumn COW
boys burn the dry prairies and savannas
to keep the grass fresh and green. These
4 fires spread to the scrub aud hammoeks,
aud thousands Of reptiles perish. On
walking over the blaokened ground, it is
not uncommon to see the tail Of dead
snake protruding from mole hole. Caught
| by the fire in an effort 10 escape, he is
burned to death.
OF the different species of snakes only
two are thought TO be poisonous They
are the moccasin and the attlesnake.
Their venom readily yields to the whiskey
treatment if taken in time, although this
in measure depends upon the location of
the bite. 1t is said that u man in Alae-
hua county died within FIVE minutes after
being bitten. The reptiles fangs struck
him in the neck while he was sleeping,
and elected poison into the jugular vein.
MoccasiGs are divided into four classes,
the cotton-mouth, the stump.tail, water
moccasin, similar to our water pilot, and
an upland moccasin, resembling a copper
head in shape, and fully as deadly. |
gather this information from the natives
and from FIVE winters of personal expe-
rience.
The rattlesnake is divided into two
families. The most virulent is the ground
rattler 1t is between twelve and twenty
inches long, and not much larger than a
common lead pencil. 1t coils, springs its
tiny rattle, and jumps the snpo as its
larger brother. Its skin is bright black
in color; but the diamond marks are not so
clearly defined as in the big rattler. Du-
ring the hot summer days it lies under
sand-sweeping palmetto fans, or creeps into
gardens and sleeps in the shade of the
cabbages and bananas In clearing up
litter, man might easily pick up one un-
awares. Lieut. Wright, of the United
States Coast Survey, tells me that he found
them very numerous in the salt water
marshes between Dummitts grove and
Banana creek. In one day he crushed
two beneath his boot heel Last summer
DR.. Fox and Capt. Sans Of New Smyrna
were running wild cat on a small pal
metto island, between the East Channel
aud Devils Elbow, at the entrance of
Mosquito Lagoon. They had fired the
hammock, and as they stood in the marsh
grass awaiting the frightened game, the
Doctor said
II hear big rattlesnake; but he 5 long
distance off.
The Captain listened. "Thats ground
rattler," he said. "I know the sound too
well. Don't stir, for he may be mighty
close to us. !"
The warning was needed After care
ful search they found the deadly little rep
tile coied at their feet, on a mat Of dead
grass. Its tail was flying like the wings
Of humming. bird, and it was ready to
strike on the least motion. The breech
Of gun quickly crushed its head. 1t was
fifteen inches long, about the size and color
Of stick of licorice, and had nine rattlcs,
so small that they would 90 into a needle.
case.
The genuine rattlesnakes grow to a
monstrous size, and their colors are more
brilliant than those of the Northern spe-
cies. They have been killed twelve feet
long, and as large around as stovepipe.
Capt. Devall Of Palatka AYERS that he saw
one, twenty odd years ago, with forty-seven
rattles. Incredible as this may seem,
Col. Pratt, Of the Palatka Herald, de-
clares that he has seen one with fiity-two.
These serpents frequent high sandy ridges,
and occasionally lurk III gardens and in
ploughed fields They have even been
known to make their way into barns and
houses. The beach scrub, where seldom
burned, is alive with them. Some mon
sters have been killed on Anastasia Island
opposite st. Augustine. In the spring
have counted in one day, on the beach
between Canayeral aud Indian river inlet,
ten freshly shed skins.
After one rattlesnake is killed, another
is found near it, If the body of the dead
reptile is dragged through the house or
across cattle pen, its mate is pretty sure
to take up the trail and follow it. Through
the winter these snakes are dormant.
They live in holes made by the gopher and
the land turtle, and are concealed in many
Of the old coquina ruins dotting the
eartern coast. As the summer approaches,
they pair off and hunt in couples The
numberless trails in the scrub and savan.
pas made by deer, coons, wildcats, and
offers, are their favorite lurking places.
Here they lie in ambush, and many an un-
fortunate rabbit and opossum falls under
their fangs.
Nor are the low savannas and saltwater
marshes free from these great snakes.
Last summer as Judge Connor, of Live
Oak Hill, was crossing the wide open
prairie at the head Of Indian river, he saw
a plump gray squirrel cutting queer antics
on spot Of bare sand. As the sand was
fully mile from any tree, and covered
with salt water six months in the wear,
the Judges curiosity was excited. To use
his own words, "the squirrel was jumping
around right smart, and appeared as If he
didn't know what to do with hisself." Its
attention was not distracted by the Judges
approach, for it continued praneing over
the sand in a concentric course, as though
crazed. The Judge walked up with the
intention Of capturing il. Suddenly he
was confronted by an enormous rattle
snake. 1t was stretched out in the wire
grass surrounding the sand, with its head
toward the squirrel. On seeing the Judge.
it threw itself into coil and made noise
like that Of buzz saw Its tail ratified
with terrible earnestncss, The squirrel
ceased his antics, and sat up on the sand
as motionless as a statue. Finding neither
stick nor stone on the prairie, the Judge
tried to scare the snake by threatening
gestures. These incensed the reptile. Il
reared both crest and tail, darted out It's
forked tongue, and jumped fully eight feet
t0Wn r6 tho I,s1rro IIt.