Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-17
SNAKE STORY WEATHER.

A Discussion Upon the Subject in One of the
Rooms of the Court House-The Hoop
Snake. sad to Say, is becoming Scarce in
Pennsylvania.
This is snake story weather, and herpetoI-
ogy was the subject of discussion ID one OF
the departments OF the Court House yester.
day Who has not heard of the hoop-snake,
which not only goes on its belly in obedi-
ence 20 the curse, but the application oil
whose horned tail to Z vigorous oak tree will
kill it before the succeeding sunset. Hoop
snakes seem 10 have become scarce in Penn
sylTania, as well as tire ioiut-snakes, which
II the appearance of danger unjoint them
selves and reunire al leisure when it
passes. Only very old people. and they in
their dotage, tell of having actually seen
either hoop or join. snakes.
The snake discussed Yesterday was the
blue, or as mos call it, the black-snake
racer Although thera are, perhaps, hun
G-eds of midd ,-aged and old people who
have recollectlons OF having seen this ser
peDt IN their yor.h in Western Pennsylva-
MA, yet scientific snakeologists have
not only not classified it, but thev
seem to actually have no knowledge of its
existence 1t isn't "do1n in their books, Z"
though there is no doubt that it is, or was
years ago, verify,
On a Search for Evidences.
The county official referred to has a
brother who has been a college professor for
many years, and some years ago he visited
the home OF mis- boyhood to secure evidence
demanded by BODY of snake scientists
The county official has lively recollection
Of having seen at least two specimens of the
unclassitied reptile in this county, but
neither he nor any one else hereabouts can
recCllect OF having ever seen it in motion
except when the motion was SO rapid that
il seemed to be mere fash, making the
outline indescribable When at rest it is
always seen with the greater portion OF its
body concealed under weeds, hay
or grain, leaving merely the head
and six inches or thereaDouts exposed
and the head always in the air, as though
The serpent slept with one eve and both ears
open.
Most of The specimens observed have been
from five 10 eight feet in length. The snake
IS quite slender and has white or whitish
yellow ring round its neck, and appears to
Se merely the common ground snake on an
enlarged scale, aud it can outrun q coyote.
As a specimen OF its swiftness, our county
officer who has horror of having his name
connected with q snake story, states that
once he and another man were raking and
binding oats. Turning round to look back
ward he saw blue racers head and six
inches of its body protruding through the
next swath. Ii was looking directly at the
man, and its expression was decidedly
malevolent
He remarked TO his companion, "see me
tx that fellow" and suiting his action to
np l1w ax4a daI 81 lao of -,
rake over the snakes head and withir two
feet of the ground, intending to bring it
down SO suddenly as 10 make the escape of
the snake impossible. He brought the rake
down SO quickly that he thought he could
not fail, but there was fash and the snakes
whole six feet of length had passed him be-
fore the rake struck the swath.
Disappeared in Shock.
Both men saw 4 yard of the hinder end
disappear iE shock 80 feet distant. They
stationed themselves on either side of the
shock and lifted the hudders off without
finding anything, and then they tore the
whole shock down, sheat by sheaf, and ex-
amined the mound without trace. They
next opened each sheaf and shook its con-
tents apart, but found no snake. As both
had distinctly seen the head and forepart of
the reptile as it lay in the swath, and had
seen its latter part disappear in the shock,
tEey came to the conclusion that it either
carried the receipt Of fermseed, and thereby
walked invisible, or else its motions when
under full headway were too rapid to allow
the eye 10 follow them. In conclusion it
might be stated that there was no whisky in
that oats field.
Years ago, before New Brighton was
built up as it now is, Mr.. Richard Howe
went out one morning bird shooting. He
had with him fine setter dog. They passed
through paled lot of about an acre with a
gate at each side. Both gates were closed,
and just after entering the lot Mr.. Howe
was astonished to see his dog break for the
fence as fast as though Old Scratch were
after him. Finding the gate closed the dog
began his flight around the inside of the
fence leaving his owner speechless with as
fonishment. The dog had made one round
and had gotten we'll started on another
when Mr.. Howe perceived the cause of the
dogs panic.
One Reptile Shot on the Fly,
Gliding along with the utmost ease and
as though il were not hall trying, was a
seven-foot blue racer, its head carried about
six inches above the dogs hips. Mr.. Howe
was a crack wing shot, and his eye and gun
barrel followed the fleeing canine for time
until favorable opportunity presented
itself and he let 20 with one barrel. 1t WAS
q good shot and an instant later the snake
vas lashing the ground in the agony of
death. The dog kept up his flight tor some
time ere be discovered that his pursuer
hslRxed, but the brute was demoralized and