The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-06-08
HOW A SNAKE CLIMBS.
The Surprise of d Naturalist on Discover
ing the Way it Is Done.

| The Surprise of q Naturalist on Discover
ing the Way it Is Done.
"If you never saw snake climb q tree,
said the naturalist, ShHgp have missed sight
| that is worth going good ways to see never
saw the act myself sntilsa couple of years ago.
and could hardly believe my eyes, for had
always supposed that when snake went up q
tree it climbed by throwing itself in spiral
around the trunk and gliding up by moving
around and around it., The books will tell you
that it is the way a, snake. climbs tree, and
will show You pictures OF snakes in the act OF
twisting themselves about the tree trunk aud
working upward toward the branches. Aud
the fact OF the matter Is, they don't do any
thing of the sort.
" was mp in Monroe County, Pa, and one
day went out to look up some botanical speci-
mems In deep and thickly wooded ravine,
when l came suddenly upon blacksnake
clinging to the side OF a small, rough barked
tree. The reptiles head was about 10 feet from
the ground, and its body was drawn up by a
number Of very short and abrupt curves. The
straight places between these curvatures fitted
close IN the perpendicular corrugations OF the
bark on the tree for several inches at a stretch,
and took advantage of every rough spot or
crevice in the bark, both to the right and the
left. went up to the foot of the tree, wonder
ing how tho snake had managed to get itself in
that queer position. soon found out for the
reptile, alarmed at my approach. gave me a
most interesting explanation of it by moving
slowly up the tree trunk, working the curva-
lures OF his long body on the tree with his head
raised five or six inches. just as if he were pick
ing his way along on the ground. At first it
seemed that he was coming down the tree. as
his movements now and then brought him with
his bead pointed toward the ground, but he was
going up just the same
He did not once attempt to encircle the tree
with his body, but scaled the side of it with
the greatest ease. He went up into the tree
nearly to the top. and then. as if he did not in
tend to be forced to place where he had no
particular business, he turned and came down
the tree in the same tortuous way that be had
gone up it. The movement was slow, the snake
occupying at least minute in going the length
of his body, about six feet. That Summer
surprised a blacksnake robbing birds nest of
its eggs in an apple tree on the farm where
was stopping, and frightened him out. He
came down the tree lust as the one in the
ravine had done, except that his exit was a
deal faster. He gided away through the grass
like a flash and disappeared. The birds,
whose nest the snake had climbed the tree to
rob, were flying frantcally about through the
branches, and / sat down in the shade of an
other tree few feet away, to watch them
All quieted down in few minutes, and the
female resumed her place on the nest. l had
no idea that the snake would return, but in
less than 10 minutes ! saw it stealing out of
the grass again toward the tree. 1t glided to
the tree and Immediately started up the stem
again, in the way have described. 1t went
mp as easily as fly walks up a pane of glass
Before it got to the nest, though, it was dis.
covered by the two birds. They few excitedly
about the reptile, screaming in terror and
darting at il in efforts to frighten it away.
One of the birds made dive at the snakes
head. With movement of lightning swift
ness the blacksnake struck at the bird, seized
it by one leg, and started with the fut-
tering victim downStle tree, the birds mate
lowering over it and striking it fiercely with
her beak. / hurried forward and met the
snake on its way down and belabored it with
a switch the only thing could find to use as
a weapon. The reptile held on to the bird in
spite of my interference until it was near the
bottom, when it evidently became alarmed for
its own safety and released its prey and
escaped from me and disappeared in the long
grass again. / followed it, but 10 was too quick
in its movements for me and got to its hiding
place. The bird fluttered abeut on the ground
for few seconds and then flew back to the
tree. where both it and its mate chartered
excitedly for some, time. Then the female
took her place on the nest again, and her con-
sort perched on limb near by and kept guard.
in apparent expectation of another attack
from j Is deadly foe. / remained there ali hour
or more, but the snake did not come back, and
when / went away the male bird was still on
guard. The next day the farmers boy dis
covered the snake going up the tree again, and
succeeded in killing it. 1t was blue black
snake of the racer variety. Twice since that
time have discovered blacksnakes in the act
of climbing trees, and they always went up
the side of the trunk and am satisfied that
they climb tree in no other way.