The Butler weekly times., 1890-01-01
SNAKE STRATEGY.
A Huge Reptile Which Lost Its Head Un
der no circumstances.

! A Huge Reptile " men Lost ltS heAu IL
der no Circumstances.
The common black-snake is well
known to most inhabitants of the East
ern States. Whoever sees one usually
tries to kill it. or else runs away. But
naturalists are not like other people.
! To them, even a black-snake may be a
! desirable specimen" Mr.. {. ]. May
nard. in his Contributions 10 Science y
| narrates his experience in capturing
| such prize.
/ The snake. as usual. saw me first, and
when my eye fell upon him. he was lying
| perfectly quiet, hoping thus to escape
| observation.
| wanted a bl ck-snake. and here was
my opportunity. Directly in front Of
| him lay 4 wide. cren space. and | knew
l could easily overtale him before he
could reach the bushes opposite.
| OF this fact he appeared equally
| aware for | had not taken half dozen
steps in his direction before he changed
! his tactics, AMI being some ten feet
away. turned in his tracks and charged
upon me.
| | spread my feet and stopped to stop
| and was SO agile that he was ten feet
behind me before could make up my
mind just where te rra>p him.
! He expected me to run, as no doubt he
| had seen other men do. for he was seven
| feet long. as safter-mcusuremcnts showed,
and must have had considerable ex-
, perience of the world,
As did not run. he turned about. and
again came toward me headlong. This
time he swerved from his course when
he saw that l stood my ground, and
managed to get into some bushes.
Here he coiled. just as | have seen
| rattlesnakes do. and eleyating his
tail. vibratcd it with great rapidity,
| striking the leaves and twigs, thus pro-
| ducing 4 buzZing sound not unlike the
| rattles Of the rattlesnake. at the same
time drawing back his head ready to
strike.
As | continued to advance. he once
more changed his manpuvrcs, and com.
| menccd dodging about among the
| bushes ! kept him busy at this FOX
perhaps ten minutes. and then. seeing a
good opportunity. | rushed forward to
secure him.
i At this he mounted through the bushes
to their tops, and went from them to the
| lower branches of a small birch, and
continuing upward, made his way to the
swaying tip. some fifteen feet in the air,
performing the feat almost as quickly
as a squirrel could have done.
! From this elevated spot he looked
down upon me in triumph. But his ex.
ultation was short-lived, for 4 vigorous
shake of the tree brought him down.
and as he fell upon the soft bed of leaves
at my feet. threw myself upon him and
succeeded in capturing him.
Even at the last moment he did moi
lose his head. but by an unexpected
movement managed to faSt"n his teeth
in one of my fingers, intiicting some
quite deep scratches.
| kept him for nearly two months. but
he proved to be the fiercest reptile Of
this kind that | ever possessed. When
ever took him into my hands he strug
gled to escape, making us" of much in
genuity to this end
Sometimes he would softly wind his
coils round my arm or body. and then
without having excited suspicion by any
undue pressure. would suddenly contract
the muscles of the body. and at the same
. time jerk the head backward. endeavor
ing to withdraw it from my hand as
held him by the neck.
Not having succeeded in this. he woult
us unexpectedly loosen his body. anC
falling with his whole weight. give sew
eral violent contortions as soon as thu
iall was checked by nay hold thus try
ing to jerk himself free.
At other times he gradually worked
his body forward. and when he hat
pushed sufficient length of necl
through my hand, would turn his heat
suddenly and seize my fingers with hi
teeth, a method of attack which hav'
seen practiced by the ground rattlesnak'
of Florida.
He could not be tanned, and at the enl
| iA& 7 1,&