Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-09-10
ABOUT THE copPERHEADs.
some Curious stories OF q Poisonous
snake.

copperhead snake seems 10 have found
particularly congenial abiding places in
the rough aud hilly country along the
Susquehanna river on both the Lancas-
ter aud York county sides. 1t trails
its notified and stumpy length
among the briars and underbrush
and out into the fields and
roads in such numbers at this season OF
the year that the flashing OF ats copper
colored coronet in the sun is &c common
a sight to the dwellers in those localities
that 1t causes no more comment than the
fitting OF bird across the landscape.
The fitting of the bird, however. ex-
cites no prediction for club on the
Part Of the citizen, but the flashing OF
the coppery crown of the snake emphati-
cslly does. .,
II think one reason the copperhead
snake is partial to this part OF the coun-
ary," said resident Of one OF the lower
townships, "is that pheasants and part
ridges are plenty. There is nothing this
snake loves more than the eggs OF those
BIRDS. and they destroy nests 10y the hun
bred every spring Old hunters say
that when copperhead finds a pheasant
or paltridge-we cali quail partridge
IN this county--it drives the bird oil.
The bird will show fight to protect It's
nest. and the snake keeps 1t engaged III
combat. leading it gradually away from
the nest, while other cOpperheads, act
ing in collision with the first one, glide
up and carry off the eggs. When the
eggs are all out of the nest the snake
that is keeping the attention OF the bird
away from the nest glldes oil III the
bushes and Joins it's thieving companions
at the feast the despoiled nome OF the
poor bird has provided. J cant yoqch
Tor. this as being fact, but old Welsh
mountaineers say it is.
Another reason why so many copper
heads abound hearsbout is that there IS
no limestone here For some reason
they don't like limestone country, and
consequently are rarely, If ever, seen IN
Central or Northern Lancaster county.
never heard of more than one being
seen where lime entered into the eompo-
stion of the soil. That snake was on
the outskirts of Lancaster City. A
barn had burned down there and
It was never rebuilt. The spot grew
ND with rank weeds, and 1t became a
great retreat for common everyday
snakes. A man named POutz Dyed near
He had big tomcat that became regd-
lar snake. hunter in the weeds around the
burned barn. He used to bring in all
kinds of serpents to the house without
killing them, and it kept Poutz busy
taking them away from the cat and DIS
patching them. This was some years
ago. One day man named Web was
bitten by a snake there, and he killed
the snake. which proved to be copper
head. Wen, after weeks OF suffering,
lecoveren from the effects Of the poison.
A year to day after he was bitten
symptoms Of the poison appeared as
they had when he was bitten, and he suf-
fered greatly for a few days. On every
anniversary Of the bite he had the same
sickness for three or four years, and on
one of the occurrences Of the symptoms
he died.
1T is during the time we are cutting
our oats that the copperheads appear TO
us in the greatest numbers, and 1t IL
ssid that they are most poisonous during
that time. Five out Of the six persons
who were bitten by copperheads IN this
part of the country this season were
bitten while at work in oat-fields. The
snakes seem to enjoy lying among the
oats. They also seem 70 ind great
comfort in the thick patches OF black
berry bushes, and the prudent picker
does not ignore that fact. The next
particular occasion when it behoOves the
citizen to keep his eye out for the hot
toothed reptile is during the season OF
tobacco-cuttng, in the latter part OF Au-
gust. The lower part OF Lancaster
county contributes largelyto the big crop
of tobacco the district raises. When
the stalk is cut and the broad leaves lay
in rows across the fields they seem tO have
a peculiar fascination for the copperhead.
The stalks lie in the field for two
or three days, and when the farmers go
in TO gather them up they raise them
from the ground with great care, for
they will be sure to see a copperhead
snuglY Quertered beneath some leaf be-
fore the end of the row is reached, and
1t not infreQuently happens that Que OF
these impudent reptiles will be found
under several leaves in succession. What
the attraction is to them IN the down
tobacco-phnts is more than l know.
81 never had a copperhead jump at
me. although | have killed many a one,
but those who have enjoyed that expert
ence say that they do not coil before
they strike, like the rattlesnake, but
strike out straight from the shoulder.
They also say that the copperhead can
lump clear of the ground, which is e'so
something the rattlesnake can't do. A
neighbor Of mine tells story
about driving along one OF the Little
Britain roads one day when he saw
copperhead lying at the side of the
road. He stopped his horse and
got out TO kill the snake. The at
ter was in for fight, and jumped from
the ground at its enemy, as a rat will do
when cornered. Ny neighbor had quite
a bout with the reptile before he killed
it. He then went to climb back III his
wagon, when he was astonished to see
another copperhead lying on the seal
which he had vacated only two or three
minutes before. When a copperhead il
not disturbed the copper spot on its
head is dull, but when the snake is mad
the spot grows bright. My neighboI
saw the spot on this snake deepen and
the wicked eyes of the snake glitter like
diamonds He knew what would be the
next move so he ducked his head down
below the level of the seat. He wasn't s
second too soon. The snake, he said
shot over his head like al arrow anC
landed in the brush at the roadside II
shared the fate of its companion. My
neighbor never could tell whether he haC
been riding with the snake as passenger
or whether it climbed in the wagon whil'
ne WAS lighting its mate and lay for hin
there to revenge its slain companion
ANYHOW, he said if he hadn't ducked JUS
as he did he would have felt its fangs il
his face and probably never been able t
tell the story.
"The Welsh mountaineers say tina
copperheads will not hurt children, bu
"a