The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1880-05-21

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~ SNAKES POWER TO CHARM.
VERNON, JACKSON PARISH, La,
May IL, 1880.
Editor Telegraph: =.
DEAR SRI have always. been a
skepttc AZ to the fascinating power
which some reptiles are said to possess
over the smaller birds and animals.
I suppose I would have continued my
skepticism had 1t not been removed
by peculiar demonstration this evening.
About three o'clock this afternoon
I was lying on my gallery reading
Hawthorne's ''Scarlet Letter." was
SO absorbed In the book that I paid
little attention to remark of my little
boy, repeated several times, that he
wondered what SO many birds were
fussing about. The distressing cry
and the rapid fitting about of the
birds at length arrested my attention.
was greatly surprised to see seven
different varieties Of birds In great
agitation, hopping about and fitting
around the small trees beneath large
hickory tree which nearly fronts and
is not more than thirty feet from my
dwelling. particularly observed the
motions of a blue bird. 1t would
jump from limb to limb and finally
hover over the foot of the large
hickory tree In precisely the same
manner that q humming bird hovers
over the flower whose sweets he is ex-
tracing. This lowering would last
only for q moment and then the bird
would fit away, but soon return and
repeat its peculiar motion near the tree.
each time drawing closer and appar-
emily more agitatetl. The last time it
returned it exhibited its peculiar fiut-
tering or towering within four inches
of the tree. In the mean time, the
rest OF the birds, consisting of q
mocking.bird, a red bird, oriole, bee
narten, another blue bird, two pecker-
woods, an escaped on-pareil, I think,
and jay-bird, kept up an increasing
noise and agitation. I became greatly
Interested to ascertain the cause of all
this cOmmotion and unfortunately
arose too quick. AS I did so saw the
head of snake draw back into a
crevice of the hickory tree near it's
root. The noise of the birds ceased,
and they Immediately left the scene.
I obtained q gun, aud In q few min
utes drew from the hollow of the tree,
not rattle-snake, as I fully expected,
but very long, large, old-fashioned
icken-snake. I was, of course, more
than ever, as 1 had never
heard the power of fascination ascribed
to any Of the species except the rattle
snake.
When I first saw the huttering blue
bird thought 1t was young aud was
trying its first wings, but when it darted
ed Off vehementiy, was at once con-
WINGED Of my error. Its almost imme-
diate return and Its lowering closer
and closer to, the tree at every return
until 1t was finally within four inches
of the snakes head satisfied ME that It
was in some way under it's power. 1
am convinced that che held him with
his glitterlng eye" My appearance
disturbed the snake and broke the
charm. Pc 81. ..r r-.'I --....-.
A very peculiar circumstance OF this
Incident Of natural history is the rapid.
congregation of so many different
kinds of birds and their apparent ex.
element over the scene. They evil
IDENTIFY were not under the same influ-:
ence that affected the blue bird. It is
too much to conjecture that they knew
from instinct the cause of that poor
birds cry Of distress aud came, if
possible, to break the spell just as
some kind mortais will gather around
q fallen brother to save him before it ia
too late from the allurements Of the
poisoned cup! ...-.
l do not know, Mr.. Editor, whether
your readers will regard this AS a snake
or a bird story, but 1t Is certain that,
il they regard it as the former,
they have once in their lives read a
history Of true sssnake story"
Yours truly,
T.. +. KIDD.