The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1891-02-14

he Misses Much oftener than Hs Hits
when AT work.


Rattlesnakes are more poisonous In
print than ia their native wilds. The
southwestern pains abound la these
dingy reptiles. and had ample oppor-
tunity TO Judge of their character and
performances. both OF which fall below
report. The rittlesnake has short.
Hat. wide head. BESIDES the red and
forked tongue. of which he makes dis
play when bulied. his mouth is I'M
holstercd with TWO fangs which are ia
the upper jaw. aud correspond In posi-
ton to the eye-teetl OF mankind.
These fangs In serpent Of common
size are about thrce-lifths of IN inch
long aud have slight curve like
cimeter and hook inward. They are
white ia color of the diameter of
needle aud hollow from root TO point.
Their root or seat is In sac contain
ing the poison. which il loosened and
flows through the tube-like fang rs
result of the muscular exertion OF
striking. Ii does not How. bat spnrts.
aud two thy jets Of poison intended
for the victim disill into the air every
time the rattlesnake strikes and misses.
This last he does about four times out
OF five. for his snakeship j. as clumsy
and inaccurate rs woman w.sn a
rock. have seen one miss full
grown merino sheep three times ia
succession. La serpcnts as in alligators
the upper. not the lower. Jaw is the
one that moves 10 open the mouth
The faugs. working on sort OF hinge
are closed like the blade OF knife
when the mouth is closed and are pre-
scented fol business by the action of
throwing back the upper jaw.
The mere fact of opening the Jaw
always discloscs the fangs without any
separate effort on the part of the
serpent, and when the mouth is closed
again two fleshy envelopes. or scali-
banls. cover them from doing or re-
cciying harm. This is necessary. as
IA rattlcSnake's poison is just rs had
medicine for himself as for any Que
else.
These fangs have all the Timber plia-
bility of the finest steel and can he
bent or pat in any posture by little
force. but will at once spring into
shane on being relieved.
As TO the deadly character OF his
reptileship | can only say that | have
cCcu uuulbtltcNs Nhf~tos >Artie Ahu
sheep which were bitten by rattlers.
always in the nose and head. and never
one died. They were sick from a day
10 month. aud their heads would be-
come swollen and the candidates would
NOPE about the prairie ia detected
way. but they came around all right
as a finale. | never knew a man TO
die. although l have known some few
to get stung. Whisky in copious
way as an internal aud ponltice OF
pounded onions and salt a an outward
application were all that was needed.
1 have known some topers. who knew
there was whisky in the Wagons. 10 20
about looking for the bite OF a rattle
snake a. eagerly Is some anglers serk
bass just for the glorious drunk that
was sequential 10 II. such persons.
however. are not common.
Some few people like snakes rs pets.
they will remove rattier's fangS by
breaking them OF with silk handker-
chief. and So make the gentleman
harmless To those who NAV here
after perform this feat as . primary
step toward becoming intimate with
the ratilesnake l wish 10 say word
Of warning. These farsss are Of a
similar growth 10 the finger nails OF
humanity. and. when torn ont. readily
replace themselves with new growth.
Your pet will be ready to do business
on the old lines In six weeks after yoa
have pulled his teeth; so beware. -
hansuS Gltg Star.