Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-06-20
THE DEADLY RATHER.
Proof Positive That It Has the
Power to Charm.

Tough but True Instances of the Baleful
Influence Of Its Eye-HOgs, Door
and Bats the Only Creatures
1t Fears.
do believe rattlesnakes are able
to charm birds and animals?' said a
naturalist of local reputation. THAT
is q question that has been asked from
time out of mind. and answered both
negatively and affirmatively. Judging
from my observations and experiments
i am prepared to say positively that l
do believe the rattlesnake can charm
or mesmerize or paralyze. or whatever
is the most correct term for the condi-
ton it brings upon its subjects. and
that it can not only charm birds and
animals, but that there is not a man
living who can long Withstand the ter
rible fascination of the rattlesnake's
eye if he cares to test his ability by
gazing into the eye when the reptile is
excited and angry. using strong glass
in making the test.
'.Any person who is familiar with the
eyes of this deadly reptile ought not
to doubt that the serpent possesses the
power that SO many naturalists deny.
Even the eye of a dead rattlesnake. no
matter how long the snake may have
been dead, has terribly malignant
and one that will make
the most Indifferent observer turn
cold When the reptile is alive and
quivering with excitement, his brill
liant length coiled like a painted
spiral the fiat, vicious head raised
and curved above the folds. and the
far-sounding rattle vibrating as rapid
ly rs a hummiug birds wing. there is
nothing in all nature SO dreadful in
: its appearance as the eye that glitters
and glares above all this deadly
beauty. and am satisfied that it is
not only enough to strike birds and
animals, but men, with irresistible,
horrible nightmare. from which they
are unable to arouse themselves until
some disturbing force breaks the
malignant spell.
IL would like to see the man who can
look upon the eye of an angered rat
tlesrake through a strong glass. one
that will draw the reptile apparently
Is close as q foot or SO to the observer,
and retain his gaze more than min
ute without feeling himself irresist-
lily fascinated by the terror of it, an
understandable disinclination to with
draw his gaze in spite of the feeling
OF horror the awful eye inspires. l
have tried the experiment a score of
times / am as strong in nerve as the
next man, and have been used to hand
ling and studying reptiles of all kinds
all my life, but l have never yet been
able to overcome the influence of the
ratnesnake's eye.
Il have seen many instances of this
influence on birds and animals. l re-
member once l was fishing in the
Juniata river and my attention was at
tracted by the strange actions of a
robin that Hustered and poised over a
spot near the top of stone wall.
which protected the lowpath of the
canal that runs parallel with the river
for some miles. l approached the
spot cautiously until got within five
feet of the bird. which paid no atten.
ton whatever to my presence, but con.
tinued to frantically flutter within two
feet of the wall. CHANGING up l dis
covered the cause of the bird 8 strange
actions. Coiled in a hole that had
been made by the falling-out of a good.
sized stone from near the top of the
crude masonry and directly opposite
the frantic robin, lay a rattlesnake, his
deadly head appraised. his eyes glaring,
and his red tongue darling in and out o.
his mouth like little jets of flame. The
robin was Enthusiastically under the in
1luence of the rattlesnake's mesmeri,
eye 1t made frequent efforts to fly
away up and down the stream. but i
never got more than two feet either
way. The snake turned its heaG
whichever way the poor bird moved
and held it powerless with its awful
gaze Although l drew up so clos,
that could have touched the snake
1t apparently did not notice me, so ab
.sorbed was it in fascinating the robin
j watched the proceeding for a minute
and then drew my revolver and sho
the snakes head of. The robin flut
1ered few seconds longer. and the
new in dazed way and alighted o.
the wall not moro than six feet belo,
where stood. 1t remained there 70
IT least a minute. with its wing
raised an inch or 90. as you have see
birds on hot summer days Then
seemed to recover itself and he,
away. There could be no mistakin
1he fact that this was . genuine Cas-
81 ras<lesnake charming.
..Aaother time l was walkin
ahrough the woods when ! saw . chiI