The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-07-31

dO oS dlll blo ttS dlH NOho oiihouSh ohO
same performance. The tapping sound
/ heard was explained and KNEW well
its object A few summers before
this, near our barn at home, had
seen black snake engaged in the
same maneuver, and, after killing it,,
discovered that he had swallowed a
turkeys egg, and adopted this method
to break the she'll in order that the
egg might be more easily digested, Or,
perhaps, to relieve the inconvenience OF
its bulk. With suitable cudgel l soon
dispatched the snake, and, with my
hunting knife as a scalpel, at once pro-
ceeded to make the autopsy. Iexpect-
ed to find, as in the former instance,
an egg as the cause of trouble, but was
much surprised upon Sitting the body
open to see, instead of an egg, full
grown, box-turtle turned out of it. 1t
was alive, too. and soon opened the
bottom and end of the box. protruded
its head, tail and legs, and scrambled
off seemingly very grateful for its de-
liverance from an untimely and some
what unpleasant death. named him
Jonah and let him 60. The cause Of
the snakes uneasiness became now
very plain as l continued the post-mor-
tenn, for I further found'that the i'm
prisoned chelonian, in it's desperate
efforts to regain its liberty, had actual
ly worked one of its feet through the
ophidian's stomach and through the
outer integuments of its body. Hence,
with both reptiles it was literally a
struggle for life-for the survival of
the tittest-or toughest, rather. And
so, conclude that truth-especially in
regard to snakes-is sometimes as
strange as fiction.
In another hunting excursion in the
American bottom, years ago, l was
fortunate in having an opportunity to
witness a singular combat, in which
the exhibition of animal instinct
seemed only a synonym for profound
reasoning. After passing through a
small thicket of plum trees and under
brush l caught sight of fine, large
buck, only a few yards distant, and was
about to raise my gun when my atten-
ton was arrested and curiosity excited
by his queer movements. l refrained
from firing at the beautiful animal, and
cautiously approached little nearer
in order to discover the pause of his
strange antics. From THU time I first
observed him he was wi(lking slowly
around sideways, in a circle of per-
haps a dozen feet diameter with head
lowered and eyes intent|l watching
some central object. Cd casionally he
threw up his head and darted back
precipitately, but only 4 pr a moment,
and again resumed his ci cult. He was
so absorbed in this singul hr vancouver
that l crawled near en- ough to see
across the circle he desct ibed without
attracting his notice. l now saw that
the focus Of his fixed gas 9 was a huge
rattlesnake coiled up ilE striking at
titude, with head and t Ill erect, and
keeping up a constant, ! rilling whir
with his thirteen rattles A vicious
strike by the snake nc W and then
would be parted by the deer tossing
up his head and lodging back instant
ly. The oddly-matched pair evidently
understood each others tactics and
power perfectly, and, like well-trained
pugilists in the prize-ring, were keen
ly alert to every motion each made,
and prepared at all points for or
against any advantage that might be
presented.
The buck continued his walk-around
for some time, gradually increasing
his speed and narrowing his circuit.
At length his opportunity came. The
snake, bewildered or fatigued by con-
stantly turning to face his antagonist,
for moment slackened his vigilance.
This was what the deer had been look
ing for. Instantly, and almost with
the rapidity of a streak of lightning,
with his front feet close together and
hoofs pointed forward. he sprang upon
the coiled monster and as instantly
bounded back to his former safe
distance. 1t was done so quickly that
the snake had no time to strike; but
the blow had failed in it's aim. The
reptile was wounded and bleeding, but
seemed terminated and Elared savage
ly at his stately enemy and ratified
louder, and flashed his tongue out in
mad defiance. The buck was not
the least disconnected by this hideous
ebullition of wrath, but steadily
continued the siege. After awhile he
caught another opportunity, and, with
the swiftness of thought, he repeated
his spring forward and back again.
This stroke ended the contest. The
points and sharp edges of the hoofs-
chisel-like-struck the snake squarely
at the base of the neck, where it rose
above the coiled body a nd almost sew
cred it. The head dropped and the
coil loosened, yet the rafting con-
tinued, though not so f}lriously. The
wary buck prudently kept his distance
and cautiously walked again around
his PROSTATE foe. Two or three times
ne made the circuit, when he again
sprang upon the reptile. and again,
and again-determined to make a COM
plete 1oo OF 1t, or perhaps to give the
rattier a taste OF punishment after
deatn-untlt little OF 1t was left but a
bleeding, mangled mass. could not