Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-05-25

pairing to have run with him One Of
them had struck the snake with his
sharp bill and the diamond back had
promptly coiled himself In q defensive
attitude and was springing his rattle
wicbedly.
Zone of the birds remained near the
snake jumping about and making .
great show of hostility, but keeping
beyond reach all the time, while the
other gathered little punches of dry
cactus with spines as sharp as needles
and almost as hard, which he dropped
close to the reptile. The road runner
was as busy as the devil In a gale of
wind, and in few minutes he had piled
q regular little corral of cactus spines
all around the rattlesnalze. Then the
pair Of them began to tantalize the
snake, and by flying at him they pro-
volxed him into striking at them,
with results disastrous to himself. for
every time he launched out he Lit into
the cactus and got stuck full of spines.
ssThe more he got hurt the madden
he grew, and It wasn't many minutes
before he was lashing about furiously
and tangling himself up with the cac-
tus. The road runners hoped about
In great glee, flew at the snake and
made things hum generally, and occa-
sionally one Of them would poke some
more cactus into the reptiles way to
add to his tribulations. When the rat
tlesnake had just about got crazy and
was reckless of his guard the road
runners few up, lowered over him and
darted down at him whenever they saw
a good chance to hit him.
''Their sharp bills did great execu-
ton, and 1t wasn't long before they had
the rattlesnalSe laid out as cold as a
wedge. They are great generals, these
road runners, and they always get
away with the rattlesnake. That's
why nobody ever shoots road runner
in California
.sSome of the lizards are funny little
chaps, and when you get used to them
and forget their reptilian appearance
they are pretty good company. The
little fellows about as long as your
finger can be tanned easily, and there Is
no end of fun in watching their antics.
The greasers declare that these lizards
are venomous, but that isn't true. Let
greaser tell You it, and everything
that crawls is poisonous. If you can
once get your hands upon q lizard with
out frightening him he instantly makes
friends with you.
''The way to work it is to move your
hand slowly toward the little animal
when he is lying motionless, and touch
him as lightly as q breath with the tip
of your finger. Nine times out of ten
he will not be there long enough for
you to know that you have touched
him. He is as quick as flash Of light,
and you can't see him go-you only
know that he is gone. But one time he
will let you touch him, If you are gentle
enough, and then you lightly rub his
back and he begins to wriggle his tail
in delight.
"After that he is your friend, and
will take flies from the end Of YOU
finger, run around over your clothing
and explore your pockets, and when
you eat he will climb upon your leg
cock his little head on one side, and
watch you with friendly interest
There Is a little lizard no bigger around
than lead pencil, with long, slim
tail as blue as cobalt and smooth as
enamel You can't tame him very
easily, and If you try to catch him the
blue tail breaks off like glass, and re
mains in your hand.
There are other creatures not quite
so 'clubable' as lizards and road run
ners, but interesting in other ways
Take the scorpion, for example. Hei
bad fellow, and he has a mean tricl
of hiding in your boots and stinginS
you when you put them on. But yol
i can have fun with him after fashion
If you want to bring out the best quail
tiles of the scorpion build q little CORA
of dry leaves or paper around him ans
set fire to it at all points. Make tn,
circle about foot In diameter so tina
the flames will not touch your prisoner
when he sees the ring of fire tn
scorpion will try to escape, first at on
; point and then at another, but tn
flames will drive him back every time
and when he realizes that he is com
pletely surrounded he will retreat t.
the center Of the ring and deliberately
commit suicide by curling his tail owe
and singing himself in the back. s.
you see that nature sanctions suicid
under some circumstances in spite o
what the preachers say about it. TIL
scorpion teaches a lesson that MAJ
} had better remember if he ever find
! himself In the center of gang Q
Apaches."-Sa Francisco Examiner.
, TILE IDDIrATINN MAN