Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1892-07-16
QUEER ANIMALS IN MINES.
AIblno FIlo5 and white RattIesnakes
Found Below tine Earth.

In connection witch the resumption
of mining along the famous blue lead"
i'm this section, most peculiar dis
covery was made, says a Bangor letter
in the San Francisco ETamt2cr. Among
the mines now being woresd is the old
Potter mine, owned by Mrs, Ben
Bishop and rechristcned the Bishop
mine. when the Bishop mine was first
reopened one of the Win boys entered a
dry slope leading to a second shaft
whose existence was unknown, owing
10 "a thick growth of brush and trees
about it, and had nearly reached the
shaft when he noticed q large number
of flies huzzing about him in very
troublesome manner. He made several
sIaps at them and accidentally caught
one.
On examining it by the aid of his
lantern lac was nearly startled into let
ting it 90 by the uncauny appearance
of the insect. 1t was absolutely white,
with the exception Of its eyes, which,
having the usual red color, seemed un-
usually large and prominent. The
relieved white fly, while not be.ag
common, is not unknown in the older
mines particularly the deep coal mines
of the east: but this is the first time,so
far as is known, that they have been
found in any California nine, whore
access TO light and the opcr air are too
easily obtainab!a for flies to remain be-
low long enough to fade out.
Scarcely had Mr.. win recovered
from hissurprise at the white flies when
he was startled again this time by the
whirring sound Of rattlesnake's
musical apparatus Looking carefully
around, he saw the eyes Of the reptile
and threw Il rock at them. The rat
Ting promptly ceased and a mass of
white. glistening cOnyolutons writhed
into view from behind a protuding
bowlder A couple more rocks dis
patched the creature, which proved to
be RATHER over four feet long One
of the rocks thrown had knocked of a
good part Of his snakeship's rattles,
SO that his age was not TO be discover
ed, but hc must have been an old fell
low. The color of the snake was pure
white Though u temperate man, Mr.,
VIII was not fully satisfied that he
was in his ordinary condition of sanity
until he had dragged his prizes back
to the newly opened shaft and listened
to the expressions of surprise of his
companions at the appearance Of the
two captures,
Prof Harlow Ballard, Buffalo, who
was visiting Bangor in search Of
mineral specimens, secured the snake
and several specimens of the white
flies, which he has preserved and
shipped to the east The professor is
of the opinion that the dies are the Off
spring of some imprisoned in the slope
years ago by the rising of the water in
the lower workings. The old and par
tiqlly filled shaft allowed air, but no
light 20 enter the slope, while the
stream flowing into the slope may have
provided them with food,
The snake, me thinks, may have been
carried down by the water while very
young, as it is scarcely possible that it
is 80 years Old which IL would have
been had It remained there ever since
the mine was flooded. What the reptile
ate during its long captivity is among
the mysteries. Since the rcopening Of
the Bishop mine the white flies have
entirely disappeared, and a few which
Prof. Ballard kept in a small glass case
resumed the colors of ordinary house
flies within a week after exposure to
| the light.