The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1877-09-20
Rat-Hunting Snakes.

Some months ago Il gentleman from
Dumphres paid visit to a friend of his
| in the township of Beverly, Canada, a
| Mr. Henry, and remained with him sever
| i'll days. During his visit the Dunphrics
gentleman complained that his house was
| literally invested with rats and mice He
had tried every device to get rid Of them,
and all had failed Mr.. Henry, who is as
ingenious as he is fond of sport, declared
that he could battle the rats out of his
friends cellar in less than no time, to use
his own expression. Next day the two
drove to the gentleman's house in Dunn
phries. Mr. Henry took with him a com
mon Quarter-gross match box, pierced
with Il few holes, which he carefully
placed under the seat of the buggy. The
Dumphrles gentleman, feeling that his
friend was going to give him a surprise.
probably with some Improvement on the
ferret, asked no questions, the better to
enjoy the surprise when it did come. Ar
irving at the house they had dinner, and
after the ladies had retired, Mr.. Henry
placed the box on the table and removed
the lid. In an instant from the box leap
ed Il tullgrOWn garter snake, measuring
III W ltCp lIttII Ill ltl1Slu TIC rep
tile, which was highly excited with the
heat, reared itself almost on the cNtremi-
ty of its tail and gllded about the table
with remarkable rapdity, licking its
CHASTITY jaws with its forked and MIN
bic tongue. The Dumphries gentleman
shrank back into the corner almost pctri-
fed with horror Mr.. Henry showed how
silly this was by taking the snake upon
his arm and handling it much like hack
driver would handle his whip-lash. FL
nally his fears were overcome. and when
he had composed himself he led his friend
into the cellar, where the snake was set
at liberty. The reptile Immediately dart
ed for the wall, and the next moment dis
covered a hole into which it glided with
the greatest ease. An interesting terrier
stood at their heels, and both gentlemen
held clubs which were trumps just about
then. The snake had not disappeared
over minute before half dozen rats
bounced out of the hole and met a terri
BILE fate at the hands of their enemies out
side. But the snake was not satisfied ; it
discovered every rat hole in the cellar.
and gllded in and out among the rocks
where even rat could not have gone 1t
was finally taken up and placed in box,
after twenty rats and almost as many
mice had been killed. The snake belongs
to a black garter family, which are in re-
ality the best friend the farmer has. They
live exclusively on the field mice, worms,
flies and other vermin, and, if they occa-
siOnally glide across the path of a human
being, their lives should be preserved as
their good qualities counterbalance these
defects. The one possessed by Mr.. Henry
was caught by him last summer in Il pea
field, and since he has had it no rats are
to be seen or heard of in the neighborhood
of his house.
A farmer of Goshen, New York makes
it easy for himself, uncomfortable for the
pOtato-bugs and fattening to the toads
by employing the services of a large num-
Der of the latter in his potato patch. He
has constructed pit, into which the
toads retire when not on active duty, and
at regular intervals they are let out to
devOur the bugs, which they do very eff
fectively.