The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-04-17
In Mortal Combat.

III WUIldl OOulUdG.
An American naturalist gives the
following vivid description of com
bat he once witnessed between two
snakes. He was sitting one day in a
secluded, shady place, when his at
tentiOn was attracted by a rustling
noise, and looking around, he saw
two snakes of considerable length,
the one pursuing the other with great
speed through a hemp stuhble field.
The aggressOr was of the black kind
six feet long; the fugitive was a
water snake, nearly of equal dimen-
sions. They soon met, and in the
fury of their first encounter. appeared
in an instant firmly twisted together,
and while their united tails beat the
ground. they tried with open jaws to
tacerate each other. Their heads were
compressed to small size their eyes
flashed fire and after this conflict
had lasted about five minutes, the
Water snake found means to disen-
gage himself from his antagonist, and
hurried toward ditch.
The black snake instantly assumed
a new posture, and half crawling, and
half erect, with majestic mien, over
took ard attacked the other again,
which placed itself in a similar atti-
tude, and prepared to resist.
They fought with their jaws, bit,
ing each other with the utmost rage !;
but Notwithstanding this appearance
of courage and fury, the water snake
still seemed anxious to get to the
ditch, its natural element.
This was no sooner perceived by
the keen eyed black one, than twist
ing its tail twice around a stalk of
hemp, and seiZing its adversary by
the throat, not by means of its jaw,
but by twisting its own neck twice
around that of the water SNAKE. he
pulled it back from the ditch. To
prevent this, the latter took hold
likewise of a stalk on the bank, and
by gaining that point of resistance.
became match for his fierce antag-
OniSt.
Here they were. fastened together
by means of the convoIutions which
held them to each other. Stretched
at their full length, they pulled. but
pulled in vain. In the moments of
greatest eXertion, that part of their
bodies which was entwIned, seemed
extremely small, while the rest ap-
peared inflated, and now and then
conyulsed with strong undulstions,
rapidly following each other.
AT one time the conflict seemed de-
cided. The water snake bent itself
into great folds, and by that opera.
ton rendered the other more than
commonly outstretched. Tie next
minute the new struggles of the black
snake gained an unexpected superb
orily; it acquired two great folds
likewise, which necessarily extended
the body of its adversary, in proper
ton a it had contracted its own.
These efforts were alternate. Vic
tory seemed doubtful. until at last the
stalk to which the black snake was
fastened suddenly gave way, and they
10th plunged into the ditch.
The water did not extinguish their
vindictive rage. and they soon reap.
peared on the surface, twisted to.
gether, as in their FIRST onset hut the
black snake seemel to retain the SUI
periority, for its head was fixed above
that of the other. which it incessantly
pressed down under the water, until
it stifled and sank.
The victor no sooner perceived its
enemy incapable of further resistance
than abandoning it to the current, it
returned to the shore and disappear
ed.