The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1888-08-30
vENOMous sERpENTs.
An Experts Account Of tho Reptiles
of the United States.

An Experts Account Of tho Reptiles
of the United States.
In this country there are four differ.
ent species of rattlesnake, the ground.
or black rattlcsnake. the Florida
species. the mountain serpent and that
of the Staked PLANES. says Stephen j.
Wilcox in the St Louis Post Dispatch.
The rattlesnake found east of the Ms
sissippi and the wooded district just
west of that river, is essentially tho
same as the Florida species although
sometimes classed as separate
variety. OF all those tho Staked PLANES
rattlesnakc is the largest, most active
and most dangerous Six foot is not
an unusual length, while seven foot
snakes have on several occasions been
killed. These serpeDts measure some.
times ten inches around the body, and
recovery from their venom are very
rare. Tie Florida rattlcsnake comes
next in size. while tho short. stumpy
ground snake. scarcely ever more than
three feet long. is tho least venomous.
But three other venomous scrpents
are found in this country. the copper
head, and moccasln, land and water,
and u small and very rare snake found
IN Arizona, which is considered the
most deadly of all. This snake lies in
the dust, and strikes like flash of
lightning at anything that approaches.
A peculiar fact about this snake is that
it is nearly completely blind. and has
tho keenest hearing of any snake
known. These reptiles are very rare.
and but half dozen specimens are
found in any of our museums.
Among the articulates some of tho
spiders, nearly all OF the scorpions, and
a few species of the centipedes are
poisonous, but tho virulence OF their
venom has been immensely exaggerat.
Ell. aud has become superstition. The
tarautula is regarded BY many as more
vcnomous than the rattlesnake. but in
all my Investigations l never discover
ell moro than two instances where men
have been bitten by these great SPIDERS
and In neither case were the conse-
quences serious. Tho sting of scor-
pion is not much worse than that of a
wasp, and an active bedbug is moro
dangerous than a ccntipede. at least of
any found north Of the Mexican line.
The effect of a snakes poison is en-
tirely exerted on the corpusclcs of the
blood. l have experimental on various
animals, and have found that tho re-
suit OF venom is to cause distn to graz
ton of the corpuscles. reducing the
blood to q thick. Homogeneous mass.
Hogs arc regarded rs imprevious to
venom, but this is by no means the
case. Hogs certainly kill and cat rat
tlesnakos. but If these reptiles once
drive their fangs deep enough to rcacl.
the blood. pig will dio as soon as any
other animal The secret of their i'm.
munity lies in tho fact that thoy ad.
vance upon the snake with their fat
checks presented. The snake drives
its fangs into the mass of fat presented.
tho blood is not reached and tho hog
strips the snake through its teeth 10.
fore it can strike another blow. But
when the hog is thin tho fat cannot
servo as shield and death ensucs.
Whether or not an animal RECEIVERS
from = snake bito depends largely up
on its strength. as In a short timo the
blood will resume its corPhscular con,
dition. and no danger ensues. 1t is
simply as a stimulant that whisky has
been found effective. as it in no way
directly countoracts the effect of tho
Nnisnn