The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-10-19
SNAKES LIVELY NOW.
The Woods Full of Rattlers Getting
Ready for Winter.


Ready for Winter.
The snake season is now at its hight and
the woods are full of rattlers, which have
not yet gone into their winter quarters.
1t is too early to hunt yet, that is If the
hunters have any regard for their own
safety and the safety of their dogs. The
birds may be plentiful but so are the
snakes.
Last year the MORNING NEWS had sew
eral accounts of narrow escapes Of hunters
from these dangerous reptiles, and also of
the death of several dogs from their bite.
Prof. John Taliaferro. who is something
OF an authority upon hunting and what Is
to be found in the woods generally, says the
snakes are more active now than
at any season Of the year
because they are seeking their winter homes,
preparatory to going into the semi-torptd
sleep IN which they spend the winter in this
climate. Incidentally they are also seekin.;
a good square meal to carry with them be-
fore beginning their winter fast.
BAD REPTILES TO MEET.
Being on the move the snakes are much
more likely to come in contact with the
hunters and their dogs now than they would
have been month ago or than is likely a
month hence
Prof. Taliaferro says the rattlesnake has
its own peculiar habits. In the spring,
after emerging from its winter home, the
rettler seeks some small patch OF briers or
underbrush where it can lay In wait
for game and where it makes
its headquarters during the entire summer,
seldom stirring far from it. When fall
comes and the air begins to grow chilly
with the promise Of approaching winter the
snakes laava fheir Gun1IOar haunta nd houir1
search for convenient winter quarters
under some old stump or ledge of rocks
where they remain all winter, except on oc-
casional warm days when they creep out
in the middle of the day aud take sun
bath.
MISTAKES ABOUT RATTLERS.
The bite of the rattlesnake, Prof. Talia-
ferro says, is just as deadly at this season OF
the year as at any other season, and it is a
mistaken idea that the rattlesnake exhausts
his poison during the summer season.
Another common mistake he says is that
rattlesnake always sounds his
rattles before striking. The snake
that killed one Of G. S. McAlpin's
| dogs last year at Beaulieu did did not
sound his rattles until after striking, and
this is frequently the case. When the snakes,
| lying in their coil, are disturbed they do
not wait to sound their rettles, but strike
| AtllAculdb0lys his makes IN6Ill all bQe more
dangerous at this season Of the year.
NOT SAFE TO HUNT YET.
| Prof. Taliaferro says it is not safe to
hunt in the woods until after the first
| black frost, or until two or three
heavy white frosts have fallen. This does
not usually happen in this climate until
late in November. Hunters who do not
want to run the risk of being bitten bv
rattlers or having their dogs bitten viii
have to keep out of the fields until after that
time. Heavy boots and leggins are some
protection, but it only depends on the
strength Of the snake and the length of his
| feDgs to penetrate even these.
REMEDIES FOR SNAKE BITE.
The best remedy, Prof. Taliaferro says.
for a rattlesnake bite is to tear open a
freshly killed chicken or other fowl and
| press the hot entrails to the wound. Two
or three applications may be necessary
The heat Of the chickens body draws the
| poison from the wound.
Another reliable remedy is the leaves OF
the ash tree bruised and applied to the
wound and the juice from the bruised leaves
taken internally.
When neither Of these remedies are at
| hand the best thing to do is to lay open the
would with a sharp knife and bandage the
limb tightly above the wound, causing it tc
bleed freely.
Another remedy is that generally known
to hunters, who usually carry it in bottle
No casualties to hunters or dogs on ac-
count OF rattlesnakes have been reported SC
far this season. A number occurred last
season, due doubtless to the unusually warm
fall, the warm weather continuing until
Christmas almost.
SNAKES THAT DON'T AGREE.
The blacksnake, which also exists in
great numbers in this country, are the
sworn enemies of the rattlesnakes anC
never lose an opportunity to kill one. The
blacksnake is of the constructor species and
moves with great rapidity. On discover.
ing a rattesnake in open ground
the blacks1ake proceeds to circle
around him rapidly, the rattIesnake
in the meantime turning slowly
around and endeavoring to keep front OF
to the enemy. His enemy, however, soon
catches him at disadvantage, and with G
spring lands upoa him throwing its coils
around him. Tightly wrapping the rattle
snake in his folds the blacksnake gives a
jer ( strengthening the rattler out and dis
locating his body in half dozen places.
There are but two poisonous snakes in
Chatham. Prof. Taliaferro says, and they
are the RATHER and the moccasin.