Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1893-04-01
NEW JERSEY SNAKE CHARMING,

ulo - tllC llitlt VI y toi '''>'s 49,
respectable snakes are supposed to
be lying in their usual torpor in
holes IN the ground, and yet this is
Just the time when knowing hunters
are after them in the lIominy hills
above this place. The llominies are
noted for snakes even in the summer,
but they are more frequcnted by them
in the winter, as their heights offer en-
ira Inducements at that time for bur-
rowing on account of the absence OF
water. rs the steep slopes make the
soil dry and the snakes burrows free
from dampness. Snakes are in then
burrowing rather communistic.and diff
ferent breeds often hibernate together
AS rule they try to burrow separate
~, but frequently knots of six or more
are found coiled up in bunch enjoying
the oblivion of the winter months, and
the half dozen snakes perhaps repre-
sent rs many different varieties OF
golfers. They go into winter quarters
with the first frosts, and do not usually
emerge till April, although occasionally
Il heavy rainfall or intense thaw floods
them out
The blacksnake is the king of all
burrows hereabouts. Blacksnakes dc
not seek winter quarters together but
each usually burrows with some other
breed OF snakes. and because of their
strength and devilish disposition they
rule the roast. So. wherever general
burrow of snakes is discovered on the
hills a blacksnalle is found to be the
leader
The snake is sound sleeper, and
even when aroused shakes off but little
of his lethargy. What awakens him
the most completely is the sound OF
fife or tin whistle, while even beating
on tin pans has been effective. The
recent great thaw made the conditions
favorable for snake hunting, or snake
charming us they call it hcrca bouts
The object of local snake hunting is to
reduce their numbers, because they
have OF late years become so numerous
rs TO be constant danger and menace
to huclilebcrry pickcrs in the summer,
as we'll as to whyfarers in general.
Zed Jones and party of three men
were out on the main hill, from which
the snow had almost entirely dIsap-
peared, one day during the week. and
killed forty-scvcn snakes. including
blacks, blue chascrs. and pines. which
are the largest snakes found here. Ied
armed himself with al old fife. tationed
himself in coal bottom and began
to play. He tuncfully rendered Rally
Round the Flag" and other well-known
airs without ?erceptible results.
His companions, armed with clubs
waited for snakes to appear They
didn't come though there was a snake
hole ut the side of the bottom. Zed
thought it was not warm enough to
charm snakes out of their stupor Asa
last resort he struck up the lively notes
of "'rhe Girl ! Left Behind Me-" and
had not played two bars before a big
blacllsnallc drew his drowsy length
slowly cut of the underbrush and into
the bottom.
1t was plain to be seen that the rep
tile was in stupor. 1t wriggled slow
ly and dartcd ont it's fangs nearly
every instant. II coiled itself up in Il
sunny place rs though cntranced by
the life notes. Cheered by his success
Zed played merrily on, and one after
the other three gartcr-snakcs, in sort
of semi-stupor, came from the same di-
rection and coiled slowly in the sun
light. Eyentuisly Il pine-snalSe joined the
quartet, and, though he and the black
snake are always at war, they showed
no signs of fighting. This, perhaps,
was because of their torpor. Before the
shrill notes of the fife ceased all the
reptiles were killed with clubs and
without much effort, us they were too
numb to make an attempt to escape.
The black-snal1e was four feet long and
the pine-snake nearly foot longer.
The largest garter-snake measured three
feet eight inches
In another place on the hill burrow
of serpents was found. AS but two
snakes were attracted out into the air
by the music spade was brought into
play, and digging down into the earth
a knot of twenty-four big and little
reptiles was unearthed. The king
that burrow was black-snake long
enough to be continued in our next,
but rather attenuated by his long fast.
The other snakes were mainly Of the
garter variety. The same party struck
two other knots of snakes, making
forty-seven reptiles for the day. Not
all snakes are aroused by music but
one or more usually come and thus
show where the burrow of reptiles is
concealed Then they are eXhumed
and killed. philadelphia Times
THE Little Innocent pa
rents have staying with them on visit
an aunt whose charms are chiefly of an
artificial character. The little girl
..,o,,iJ lilo IN SIaen with her and her