Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-10-13
JUSTICE TO THE SNAKES.
Eyewltncssos of Things that are Denied
by the Flippant and ignorant.

Two popular beliefs concerning the
I behavior of certain snakes under GER
tain circumstances have been very pos
I itively met 10y some persons with Il very
[ llat and absolute denial that any snake
ever did anything of the kind.
One thing largely believed and ire
queutly reported on the testimony OF
somebody else is the alleged fact that
some snakes ut times exercise the power
OF charming or drawing toward them
by them by the fixed power OF the SER
r...t's owe small birds or squirrels, the
purpose being 10 MAKE meal Of clio
victim. This belief has been vehement
IN maintained and as yehemently de-
MED. the denials being accompanied 10!
the sheer: You didn't see this your
self" IL would seem that those who
firmly believe the repOrt-generally
speaking, on the strength OF the teSti-
monv of some absent friend in whose
word they have implicit truSt-largely
Outuumber those who deny; but among
the latter are few who profess to
speak As scientists.
The other popular snake story is that
I'm moments OF danger the mother snake
of some species. will open her mouth
and her brood of babies will ruu head
first down her throat. This, too, has
been dismissed IS an idle tale.
Now 10 So happens that there are at
present living in Hartford two emil
ncntly trustworthy men who can 10y
personal experience confirm the actual
truth OF both these stories, one having
witnessed the performance first named,
and the other seeing the second.
Mr.. Samuel Taylor, Of Charter Oak
place. when boy OF sixteen, lived in
glastonbury. There, when out in the
fields one day, his attention was at
tracted by the strange actions OF Il
small bird-probably some ground spar
row. or perhaps a "chippy." The bird
paid no attention 20 him, aS he came
near IT, but hutterCd i'm wild and pc
culiar way ON the path. sometimes iut-
tering mp 10 low twig, a foot or SO
above tine. path. and again ilutterlng
down. seemingly in great distress. and
then tapping up and down, but all the
while slowly getting along in one dircc-
ton As the bird paid no attention to
the boy. aud did nothing to get away
from him. the lad began Ia investigate
things ia the direction the bird
seemed 90 be aiming at, and
ne soon discovered black
snake. The reptile was coilcd, and its
head was somewhat lifted above the
coil. His gaze was fastened upon the
futtcring bird. aud his eyes were bright
and clittering. The spectator of this
remarkable scene waited until the re-
uctant and distressed bird had advanced
sonear that he was not over yard from
the serpent. Then he interfcred. Pick
ing up a stone. he hurled il at the snake
and Killed him. The bird then seemed
dazed. confused and helpless. Grad
,.tliv % recovered and finally flew out of
sight.
10 is needless to add that nobody who
knows Mr. Taylor will for moment
question the truth OF his statement. lie
is one of our best and most respected
citizens.
The other witness is Col. T. W. Prince
of the Calling Gun Company. Col.
Prince was good deal of fisherman
before he went into the war. Once. he
SAYS, while fishing ON stream not many
miles from Auburn. y. Y, he went to
half-hollow stump nearby to deposit his
box OF bait. In doing so nc dis
turbed gOoj-Sizcd snake in the
stump. apparently an adder, about
whose head aud body her young brood
were diSportiug themselves. Instantly