The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1882-09-15
Rattlesnakes.

a correspondent writes us eTo those
who have never lived where people are
Obliged to be constantly on their guard
against rattlesnakes few particulars as
TO the habits may be of interest. The
house OF the writer isbailt upon o. sandy
knoll covered with pHiekly. pears; a Sit
uatlon said to have attractions for these
snakes. Whether that is true or not.
The dYeliers in the house have seen a
E e East m1n ile ct t 56
of the pleasures Of pionee- life. " OF the
raj tlesnake the writer says: |'''i.''.
The kind found on the Colorado
plains is notified aud of a grayish tint
30 nearly the color of the cactus and the
grass (Which never takes on vivid
green) t,lat person might pass very
near one and not see it, did it not sound
its warming rattle. .H vs.. .'E
"The sound of the rattle reminds me
of the angry buzzing of bee impris-
oned in hollyhock flower, only it is not
so continuous. 3sa
w'It is not safe in this region to go
into a garden aud put ones hand care
lessly among the plants to gather peas
or beans, or to pull potato vines, for I'M
der Just such plants his snakeship de-
lights to take nap on sultry days.
emo child too young to look out for
these intruders can be allowed to play
away from the door. qiHv
/ "The reptiles creep into cellars and
under boards, and general watchfulness
is always in order. The harvester must
keep a sharp lookout for this deadly
enemy. When stacks of wheat are re-
moved it is not uncommon to find snakes
under them, or to hear the sharp. defiant
rattle as bunch of grain is tossed on
the load. The feelings of the man upon
the rack on which the unwelcome visitor
has been landed, can be imagined.
elf an enemy comes too near, the
rattlesnake will sound his rattle and
hurry for the nearest prair!e-dogs hole,
unless it is actually molested; then il
will fight.
'fIn August the bite of this snake IS
said to be more poisonous than at any
other time of the year. Then they are
blinded by the shedding of their skins
and, as they cannot seq, they strike al
every sound they hear. This makes
them unusually dangerous.
81 have seen the head of a rattlesnake
completely severed from its body re
peatedly jump an inch from the ground,
at the same time thrustlng its fdngs from
the widely. opening mouth. = e...f
"By many persons it is thought these
serpents dislike water and are not found
in low places. They are more numerous
on high, dry land, but they are found
on river bottoms. For some reason the
meadow rattlesnakes are much more
pugnacious than the others.
"Whisky is the most common remedy
for the bite Of the lattlesnake. It must
be taken &C once and in sufficient guam
titles. A gentleman who has Travelled
over these plains for twenty years tolt
me he never knew snake-bite to cause
death where whisky was immediately
drank. ,...,
zone fatal case caused by delay HI
/ related; a Mexican in his employ hat
been in the habit of cutting off snakes
heads with knife without first stunning
the snakes. He did this once too Otter
and received a bite in his hand.
4 "Strange to say, he did not tell of i
until he began to feel very i'll, two hour
afterward. His party were crossing the
/ plains, and the only place where the,
could hope to get help was at a soldiers
fort six miles away.
"Before the whisky could be procured
the man was too far gone to be benefited
and soon died, apparently suffering
great agony" eaa 80. 4s.,asgs D.