Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-06-29
A SERpENT'S SUICIDE.
A Ratticsnake, Exaggerated, Strikes His
Fsngs Into His Own Body.
(FOrest and Strea

(tOIeSt anu SUtdii.J
Are venomous serpents susceptible to
their own poison? In other words. what
would be the result If one of them should
happen to bite himself-would it Kill him?
Indeed. IL would.
l remember seeing that very thing hap
pen once, when ] was in the northern
part of Wyoming. north Of the Rattle
snake range Of mountains. We had been
making a survey for wagon road from
Rawlins, a town on the Union Pacific
railroad, northward 20 Fort Mckinney,
and had finished the work and were re-
turning. and had reached the place have
described. The region seemed 10 be who'll
ly given over 10 the occupancy OF prairie
dogs. burrOwing owls. and Tattlesnakes
] never saw 80 many snakes anywhere
except in the swamps Of Louisiana during
an overflow. You could see them crawl
ing about in all directions and they were
constantly springing their rattles in the
grass under foot and frightening our
horses for you know horse fears thes.
creatures quite as much as man does
In riding along ] happened TO see par
ticularly large RATHER summing himself on
a spot OF bare ground, and tried to ride up
near enough TO strike him with my quirt
hut my horse was afraid, and | could not
make him approach the snake l did not
blame him very much, either. for the old
Crotalus threw himself into "A coil. raised
his head, sounded his rattle, and pre-
pared to assume the offensive as soon as
he saw us
Finding that I could not reach him with
my short qurt, I rode over to one or
the wagons, and got from the driver his
long four-in-hand whip. and with this
returned TO the snake. | found him about
where | had left him. and when he saw
me he tried 10 run away. They are
sluggish creatures, however, and cannot
60 very fast.
I had a fancy to tease him little
and / swung the whip so that the end
Of the lash in falling would tap him
gently on the nose. As soon as he felt H.
he snapped back like a watchspring into
a coil, sounded his war note, and turned
his head quickly from side to side TO
discover his enemy. his forked tongue
darling necessarily from his mouth.
was some 20 or 30 feet away. keep
ing perfectly quiet. and he did not appear
10 notice me at all. fancy their range
OF vision must be very short. After a
few minutes he lowered his ugly head to
the ground, and prepared to glide away
In another direction. ] let him get fairly
started. then / tapped him as before
srd again he coiled 10 strike.
This was repeated a number of times
The snake always started away Ill
new direction, only 10 meet that uncom-
Portable and exasperating little tap. After
each stroke he would prepare to fight
and would look in vain for his assailant;
and with each encounter his anger seemed
TO increase
At last, having tried unsuccessfully
every avenue Of escape, he became pc
side himself with rage. His rattle buzzed
necessarily. He raised his head nearly
half his length above the ground and
swayed from side to side. His eyes gilt
Tered Ike Jewels, and his forked tongue
flashed from his mouth like miniature
lightning His head became broad ana
fat. and his whole body seemed to swell
with venom.
suddenly. In an access Of fury, he turn
ed his head, and with the full force OF
a swinging blow of his neck. Ike the
down stroke of Il sabre. he drove MS
fangs into his own body. He Kept his
hold and did not withdraw his fangs.
His body writhed and twisted for an
instant. and his muscles contracted vio-
lently once or twice. Then his head sank
down. the fire faded from his eyes, his
coils relaxed, and he was dead.
| was astonished. / did not think II
was possible that tho poison could be
SO instantly effective In creature or
such sluggish circulation.
There can be no mistake about II; he
meant TO kill himself, and he did 1t, too.
or the last / have the most satisfactory
proof, for as / picked him up ana ex-
amined him carefully from one end to
the other. there was not a mark (save the
bite or d bruise % him. The light
strokes he had received from the whip
were not enough TO hurt him. stiil less
10 XIII him. Yet he was dead. for l put
him In my saddlehag and carried him TO
camp. and then skinned him. ana am
sure he could not play 'possum through
all that.