The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-06-15

|
| The next captive was q pretty milk snake
about three feet 10 length. IL came wriR-
Cling through the grass and the professor
seized it by the body. The agile little
creature squirmed and Missed, but without
much difficulty it was strung up with the
Others. Two pretty golden chains ran
down each side OF the delicate gray back
which seemed to change color and brillianey
with every movement.
The professor and the visitor wandered
almlessly through an old field Of stubble,
and were crossing an old ditch when a rust
ling sound IN the dry grass attracted their
attention. A few leaves moved and a
bright, glossy thing glistened in the sun.
AS 1t moved the professors eyes bulged,
and without word ne sprang forward
| through the weeds in the bed of
the ditch. Regardless of brier and
root he followed a beautiful little
| creature some two feet in length. until at
last he seized it in his hand, but it was ap-
parently dead IL was snake about as
large round as a mans thumb with green
and white speckled skin which was as bright
and polished as glass. 1t was perfectly
| round and as smooth to the touch as polished
stone. The head was long and narrow and
the eyes closed. The body bent sideways,
| but otherwise was as rigid as stick of
! wood. The professor carefully turned it
over to examine the bright, yellow belly.
'It's glass snake" he whispered, in an
ecstacy of delight. The first live one have
| ever handled"
| But 1T is dead now" said the other
Tho professor chuckled. dead. dead, u
he replied. mot at all; he will live many
years with the care l will bestow upon him.
he is playing possum. II he had only had
time he would have disjointed himself like
| lizard and lost the three-fourths OF himself
until we were out of sight and hearing"
They returned to the rendezvous sand
found their two companions there taking
precautions against the effect Of future pos
slble snake bite. OF course they laughed at
the professor for the tender care he took of
his treasure, and against his vigorous pros
tests laughingly hung the speckled beauty
| on the branch with the other victims of the
| hunt. 1t was impossible to convince the
professor that his little pet was dead, but
at last he consen ted to leave it long enough
| to join us In one more hunt.
II will CO." he sighed, but half of my
snake will be gone when return, and am
too old ever to hope to capture another
| specimen alive" Reluctantly the old man
followed them, frequently casting glance
| behind until they were out of sight of the
moss covered live oak. They did not go far
before encountering two or three lazy moe
caslns summing their ugly browl bodies by
| the side of the road. xiii them" shouted
|
why not save one alive 2" asked the
stranger.
because if you did," was the reply, "the
chances are thar you would get bitten in the
| back OF your leg when you least expec ed 1t.
l would not trust dead moccasin. l have
seen one with its back broken creep up to
man and try to bite him"
They succeeded in catching several small
snakes of the garter variety aud any guam
nf raaIya xuhin
| common.
One little reptile some three feet in length,
| and about as large round as mans little
| finger, was mainly a bright verrnilion; its
velvet back was striped with brilliant
yellow and dotted with black. Little white
spots covered its head and gave the appear
ance of a thousand eyes. The professor
| gave il a long name. and declared 1t was
| poisonous. 1t was turned over to him for
safe keeping, and he was soon on amicable
terms with the Misunderstanding creature,
| which he declared bit only upon severe
provocation.
For nearly half an hour no snakes turned
| up. This was unusual, and the hunters
| were about to turn back and try another
| road, when a negro boy Of about Is came in
| sight and said be had seen snakes.
Just then large king snake was observed
moving in the grass at the boys feet, and
several men sprang for ward.
Don't hit um, Nasal" exclaimed the
boy. Use brung him out ter catch rattle
snake. De ole man gos de rumetism, an
snake lie is de bess ting in de world fer um. "
A member of the little party suggested
| they should sec a snake fight.
He led them round a bend. The king
| snake began to show signs of excitement;
his long black head swayed from side to
side as he wiggled along and now and then
| it was raised above the ground and the diR.
mond eyes glittered ominously.
| Suddenly, behind an azalea bush some
| yards ahead, there was heard sharp, rat
thing sound. Like flash the swift black
body of the king snake darted forward.
| There was a sound of commotion in the
bush, and an instant later the dull brown
length of an enormous rattlesnake slowly
came into the open roadway.
Like streak Of black lightning the king
snake dashed by and as quickly turned and
| brushed across the rattler's diamond-marked
| back. His venomous antagonist sprang at
his foe. only to bury his fangs in the earth.
| Again the tail shook and rafting broke TIE
stiffness. The rattlesnake cooled his tail,
moving nervously to and fro. The rattling
was now continuous. Twice the king snake
moved rapidly in circle about his
enemy, who followed its every movement by
merely turning it's head. but at the second
round the RATHER stopped as If to straighten
| its neck, and at that instant the king snake
dashed across the folded coil. Like a flash
the rattlesnake struck at its enemy, but sank
| its fangs deep into its own flesh. The angry
reptile seemed to realIze that it had inflicted
death wound upon itself. for it 10 longer
acted on the defensive, but took the offen-
sive. But the king snake was too quick for
its heavy antagonist and gliding out Of the
way, waited as it sprang and waiting then
until the RATHER lay full length on its belly
| after striking. Finally the king snake
sprang upon its enemy, and twining itself
about its massive body slowly frightened its
folds until the rattlesnake was powerless in
its muscular hold. Then slowly exerting
the full force of its powerful muscles it
slowly CONSTRUCTED the other. There was a
crunching sound as the body of the rattle
snake was torn in doz9n places.
Slowly slackening it's folds the king snake
| prepared to swallow it's late enemy head
| first. but the colored boy was too quick for
| it and seized the prize for the sake of its OIL
Soon after that great, slim coach whip
snake darted across the path and disap-
psared like a blue streak. The visitor
started after it, but the colored lad caught
him by the sleeve.
| "Don't fool wild UNI. massa," be said.
"[f dat snake ketch you he tie you to tree
an whip you ter deth. Den when you is
| dun ded be poke de end OF he tail no you
nose an in you ears to see if you is still
| live. OATS why de end of he tail is 80
sharp"
AS the sportsmen approached the tree
from which their treasures hung an offensive
odor 90 Iutad their nOstrils. On eXamiua-