The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1891-02-18
JUSTICE TO THE SNAKES.
rEysvitnessss Of Things That Are Denied
by the Flippant and Ignorant.

I
Of Things That Are Denied
by the Flippsnt and Ignorant.
Two popular beliefs concerning the
behavior Of certain snakes under GER
tain circumstances have been very posi-
lively met by some persons with a very
Dat and absolute denial that any make
ever did anything Of the kind.
One thing largely believed and fire.
quently reported on the testimony OF
somebody else is the alleged fact that
some snakes at times exercise the power
Of charming" or drawing toward them
by the fixed power of the serpent's eye
small birds or squirrels, the purpose be-
ing to make a meal of the victim. This
belief has been vehemently maintained
and as vehemently denied. the denials
being accompanied by the sneer, ''You
didn't see this yourself" 1t would
seem that those who firmly believe the
report-generally speaking, on the
strength Of the testimony Of some alb
sent friend in whose word they have
implicit trust-largely outnumber those
who deny; but among the latter are
few who profess to speak as scientists.
The other popular snake story is that
in moments of danger the mother
snake of some species will open her
mouth and her brood of babies will
run head first down her throat. This,
too, has been dismissed as an idle tale.
Now it SO happens that there are at
present living in Hartford two emf
nently trustworthy men who can by
personal experience confirm the actual
truth of both these two stories, one
having witnessed the performance first
named, and the other seeing the second.
Mr.. Samuel Taylor, of Charter Oak
place, when a boy of 16, lived in Glas-
tonbury. There, when out in the fields
one day, his attention was attracted by
the strange actions Of a small bird
probably some ground sparrow or per
haps a "chippy." The bird paid no
attention to him as he came near it,
but fiuttered in a wild and peculiar
way on the path. sometimes auttering
up to low twig foot or 80 above the
path, and again fiuttering down, seem.
ingly in great distress, and then tapping
up and down, but all the while slowly
getting along In ono direction.
Al the bird paid no attention to the
boy, and did nothing to get away from
him, the lad began to investigate things
In the direction tho bird seemed e be
aiming At, and be soon discovered q
black snake. The reptile was coiled,
and its head was lifted somewhat above
The coil His gaze was fastened upon
the fluttering bird. and his eyes were
bright and Offering. The spectator Of
this remarkable scene waited until the
reluctant and distressed bird bad ID.
vanced 70 near that he was not over q
yard from the serpent. Then he inter.
fered. Picking up Stone be hurled Il
at the snake and killed him. The bird
then seemed dazed, confused and help.
lesA Gradually It recovered. and 6nal
ly Dew out Of sight.
II b needless to add that nobody
who knows Mr.. Taylor will for mo
ment question the truth of bis state
ment He Is one Of our best and most
respected citizenA
The other witness is COL F. w.
Prince, Of the Calling Gun company
Col Prince was q good deal OF q Hsh
erman before he went into the war
Once, he says, while fishing on stream
not many miles from Auburn, N. Y,
he went to a half hollow stump neal
by to deposit his box of bait. In do
ing 30 he disturbed good sized saks
in tho stump, apparently an adder
about whose head and body her younl
brood were disporting themselves. In
stantly the mother snake opened Wild,
her mouth, and down her throat RAJ
the baby brood, one on the heels To-
perhaps we should say the tall Of th'
other.
Being confronted by fat denial o
this statement by Mr.. N. Starkweath
er, Of this city, Col. Prince indignant!
and firmly held his ground. 1T ma!
do to deny what other people have re
ported" he hotly replied. but what
have seen myself am sure Hart
| ford Timaa