The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1878-07-18
GOSsip AhOnl Snnkes.

Poisonous snakes may be readily dis
tlnguished from the harmless kinds by
their broadly lattened heads and pro-
jecting jaws, which impart to them a
triangular aspect. The majority Of the
nom poisonous reptiles have heads with
a narrow elliptical contour, which In.
dictate AT the first glance their character.
The bites of the former are not near as
fatal as they are generally supposed TO
be, and the quickly-administered doses
OF ammonia Injected into the flesh wound
by means OF II syringe, or great quaint.
ties OF whisky and other alcoholic drinks
taken instantly after tho accident, proves
| generally sure preventivcs against fatal
results, These remedies, though efica-
cious against the bite of the moccasin,
rattlesnake and coppcrhead, OF North
America, are unavaling in some tropical
countries like India, where the violent
action Of the poison is intensified by great
heat, thus causing annually the death of
a great number Of people,, 1t must be
borne in mind, however, that the natives
OF these countries are in n more or less
nude state, and that their bodies are thus
exposed in full TO the attack of any
snake which they may chance to encOun-
Ter. 1t IL Instructive to notice that no
tropical travellers, who too frequently
visit districts infested with snakes, have
fallen victims TO them, although they
have made in many instances the cOlIeC-
ton OF poisonous species a specially Of
their aV0cation. II il erroneous TO sup
pose that snakes will attack man without
p%rovocation, and that they are capable
Of making n spring of several ieet or even
yards. The arrangement Of their inter.
cOstal muscles does not admit OF an
extended forward movement of their
body beyond that Of rapid uncoiling
themselves TO their full length az any
body may satisfy himself by irritating
any OF our harmless species when encoun.
tered in h0llOws OF trees, under bark or
similar hiding places whore a retreat is
not feasible. Under these particular
circumstances they evince ready dispo.
sltiOn to attack the intruder VINO ven
lures to disturb their repose. There ia
in South Florida a very large species of
the rattlesnake known to naturalists IN
adamanteus, which has sui
icicnt capacity to feed upon animals up
TO the size of the wild rabbit. 1t would
naturally be supposed that this snake,
IN order to capture such q swift creature,
would possess Compensating qualities BY
being capable OF making a quick spring
)t NJ least several feet. This does not,
however, seem to be the case, as ex-
Dcrlenccd by an accidental encounter ,
with one OF these formidable reptiles, {
which We found some years ago during
N expedition to Florida, quietly coiled 4
lp in Il cluster OF dense palmetto under. 4
'ush, not far from the settlement, near |
he site of old Fort Capron. We dis. .
ensed on this occasion, contrary to !
Twice, with the gun, which would have -.
Tered temptations to torego the expert )
ient of a close encounter, and advanced
med with only a short, stout stick,
thin n few PAGES OF our intended prey, =
observe its behavior. The reptile
roved wide awake to the danger of her -
by r~attliDg slightly her head
'ove the huge coil OF her body, which
'vered a space nearly two feet in
ameter. Another forward step decided
'e critical turning point of the adven-
ire which ended, not in a quiet uncoil-
OF her six footIon body, but a quiet .
.nomioious gliding away without any
gn OF Offering resistance. A timely and 81
aimed blow then arrested her further h,
by breaking the backbone, after m
hich she was dragged helpless to the T
zen road, near by the beach, where II cut os
an AK served her head, which, well pre-. t,
rived in alcohol, still testifes by its h
eat size the corresponding volume of al
9r irame.-- New York Mercury. nj