The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-04-17

The common or "Danded rattleSnake,
Gfotalus durissus, inhabits the entire coun-
try south of the 46th parallel. He is gen.
orally inofensive, except when he has rea-
son to believe that he is in danger, or is
actively attacked, when he defends himself
as best he knows how. As I said before,
his prey is in the main small birds, mice,
and jumpers, but he finds chipmunks,
squirrels, and even rabbits palatable, al
though more difficult to acquire proprie-
tary interest in. 1 helped once dissect
rattlesnake with an immense lump amid
ships, which proved to be full-sized and
half-digested jackass rabbit. The snakes
neck was not two inches in diameter, and
l leave others to explain how he wrapped
himself around that rabbit.
The water rattlesnake Crotalus adaman-
te,ls, is a native of the Carolinas and Flori-
da, and is of greater weight and size, often
attaining length Of 9 feet. His favorite
practice is to lie in the tepid pools of that
region, and scare fishermen. Heis rapid
swimmer, as indeed are all rattlesnakes, but
is lazy on land 1t is said that the alligator,
although possessing almost as little sense
as a mule, is intelligent enough to let the
water rattlesnake alone, and indeed have
seen the two sharing the same log in
swamp, taking social sun bath together.
The largest rattlesnakes are in Texas, on
the lower Rio Grande, where they some
times attain length of II feet, and are
heavy in proportion. The smallest are the
ehorned" rattlesnakes of Arizona, New
Mexico, and Southern California, which
seldom reach length of two feet. They
have two little excrescences over the eyes,
and are full of devilment. They have rat
ties, but seldom use them, preferring to lie
half hidden in the sand until stepped on,
when they demonstrate. The sand or
"desert" rattlesnake is also small, and pre-
tends to be on neighborly terms with the
prairie dog, whose burrows he occupies. l
have reason to believe that when the rat
tlesnake inserts himself in the bosom of
prairie dogs family, he does so on fraudu-
lent grounds, and is unwiilingly entertained.
The prairie dog carries no life insurance,
and cannot afford quarrel, and the snake
is mean enough to take advantage of him.
There is a little, brown, and very comi-
cal owl who likewise takes up residence
with the prairie dog, but he makes at least
show of earning his rent by remaining at
the entrance and acting as janitor, politely
bowling to everybody who passes. Neither
snake, dog, nor owl seems to mind the
others presence, but are exceedingly soci-
able. The strange companionship is ex-
planned thus: The prairie dogs burrow is
the only shelter afforded the snake from the
intense heat of those arid plains; and as the
dog always sinks a well on his premises, it
is the snakes only means of getting water,
and have demonstrated to my satisfaction
that rattlesnakes speedily perish without it.
In return for this hospitality, the rattle
snake takes charge Of the census, and
thoughtfully prevents the prairie dog from
accumulating larger family than he can
conveniently support.
The horned rattlesnake is endowned with
the power of moving forward, backward, or
sideways with equal facility. 1t is related
that German naturalist went to Arizona,
and one day came across horned rattle
snake summing himself on the edge of a
prairie dogs burrow The naturalist had
no stick, but was frantically eager to secure
the snake, which was retreating down the
hole. So he pulled him out by the tail,
and then sprang back to avoid unpleasant
consequences. The snake again started
down, and again was dragged out by the
tail. This time the snake cooked one eye
at the naturalist, worked his under jaw in
significant manner, and went down tail
first. The naturalist went home.
The rattlesnake's sole means of otfense
and defense is his pair of fangs, which are
two slender, needle-like teeth, jutting from
the upper jaw just under the eye. In
structure, they resemble the point OF hy-
podermic syringe, but are not quite as use
full. A small channel perforates the tooth,
conducting the venom from the gland and
sac in which it is engendered to within
about the tenth of an inch from the point.
The point is of pure enamel, is hard, and
of proverbial sharpness. When the snake
is feeling pleasantly, the two fangs lie fiat
against the roof of his mouth; but when he
opens his countenance for business, they
are erected by set of muscles provided
them, and stand at right angles to the jaw.
Thus in position, the snake drives them
home by darting his head forward, and by
a powerful compression of temporal muscles
the venom is injected deeply into the
wounds. In rattlesnakes of ordinary size,
81 or feet, the fangs are about three
fouths of an inch in length, but | had a
pair given me in Texas which measured
nearly two inches.
The venom is thin, clear fluid, resem-
bling serum, of slightly BLUSH cast in
some specimens and yellowish in others.
Its specific gravity is slightly greater than
water, in which it is freely soluble. Placed
in alcohol, portion dissolves, and is harm
less. The rest coagulates in stringy mass
es like albumen, and is the poisonous ele-
ment. Heat coagulates the entire mass
easily, and slightly musky and disagree
able odor is emitted. The venom contains
saline matter and phosphates, forming
groups of crystals under the microscope
which also detects globules of fatty matter
Acetic acid dissolves it, and keeps its prop
critics unimpaired for years. | accumu
lated quite a quantity of the venom some
years ago, and tried number of expert.
ments to determine its physiological and
chemical properties. Itwas neutral with botf
and turmeric. Placed in contacSw with litmui
fresh blood, however, it became rapidly
acid, emitted musky odor, and coagulateC
fibrin rapidly. 1t also acted as putrefa
cient. divided fresh liver, and injected
a drop of rattlesnake venom in one half
Exposed under similar conditions, thi;
piece was putrid in a few hours, while the
other was untainted for over a day. These
two actions give hint of its deadly quality
First, it acts as an irritant secondly, coag
ulating the fibrin and choking up the cap
illaries, it will produce local thrombosis and
act as mechanical poison; and, thirdly
bv its putrefacient effect induce genera
pyemia or gangrene in the wounded limb
Thus, also, it can be seen why alcohol il
indicated By stimulating the heart, th'
blood will flow too rapidly to coagulate, o.
those flaments of fbrin partially formed
will be forced through into larger channels