The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1890-12-05
KING SNAKE AND MoccAslN.
Tit Little Constructors Desperate Fight
With . venomous Ophidian.

The king snake is the wonder of all
o~phidians. A diminutive specimen,
scarcely more than three feet in length,
yet the little fellow is so active. SC
wary, and is endowed with such rare
pluck. that, as his name implies. he is
truly and unquestionable the king Of
the family.
l was out after peccaries. or musk
hogs, and sat down under a bunch of
%chaparrai near a stream of water, to
rest and to eat u bit of lunch. While
thus employed l was somewhat star
tied to see a moccasin come dashing
through the grass within a couple OF
yards of me. and go dashing head
over heels. so to speak, splash into the
water. After him. like n shot. was an
elongated streak of bright green. In
he went. too. and then l knew there
was fun in store. The water was a
sort of pool, without much of an inlet
or outlet. and, unless going across sand
and rocks or by coming back on shore
again, neither cOmbatant could es-
cape.
Sure enough, after racing and tear
ing around in the pool like mad, both
pursuer aud pursued emerged from the
opposite side, and proved to be. as I
thought. a cottormouth moccasin and
a rather small king snake. The latter
was after the other, however, and be-
fore the big fellow gave up the race or
could throw himself in an attitude of
defense. the king snake was upon him.
The sole and entire power of the lat
fo,. vanilla liz, - -, r-~l 49,
stricting abilities. He has no fangs.
no poison. nothing to attack or defend
himself with saw his coils. but these
are so marvellously powerful and SO
terrible in COMPRISING that nothing
in the animal OF reptile world, accord
ing to size. can begin to compare with
him for this especial quality.
No sooner had the moccasin stopped
and turned to defend himself than like
lightning his enemy jumped upon him
and proceeded to squeeze the life out
of his ugly carcass. Tighter and tight
er grew the coils, always so arranged
that the big one could not strike. and
pretty soon the kings body was near
ly lost to view so slender had it grown
from construction and so deep was he
in the fat flesh of the moccasin. 1t
looked like green cord wound tightly
around the ~latter's body.
At last the moccasin ceased resist
ance and allowed his body to hang
loose and inert. For ten minutes
longer did the king snake hold his
grasp. than gradually loosened it, but
always ready to resume his squeezing
should his enemy exhibit any signs Of
life. Finally he uneoiled himself en-
tirely. saw that the moccasin was no
no more, turned his back on the scene,
and went gliding off through the
brush.
In some parts of Texas king snakes
quite numerous. In the lowlands
and especially in meadows and river
bottoms. they are found in great num-
bers. Nobody harms them, neither
whites nor negroes. and even Mexicans
seem to understand their good quail
ties, for they seldom if ever kill one.
When soldiers are in camp and find a
great many king snakes in the vicini-
ty, they know it is a good sign, for
poisonous snakes will steer clear of
locality. and never visit it while
there is one of the royal breed about.
Cor. Philadelphia Times.