Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1894-03-26
SERPENT mIGRATIoy,
A Source OF Proat TO One Man who
Understands Their Movements.

1 A Source OF PROFIT 10 One Man who
Understands Their Movements.
From the Atom Sentinel Democrat
| Do snakes migratei Perhaps this ques-
ton has never occurred to you, or If 1t did
1t is unlikely that you were interested In
| 1t, but there is more perhaps than you
thought for In the answer to this query.
| Yes, In rather loose sense snakes do
migrate, that 10, they have certain hibsr-
mating quarters and make certain eIcur-
| sions regularly every summer, and their
lives are just as systematic as those of any
other living thing. Their migrating hab
its have long been known to naturalists,
and the bluffs slopg the river sford q
| splendid locality for illustration of what
is known as the snake migration. just at
this season of the year, when winter 10
coming Oh, all the serpents In the low
lands across the river, on TIE islsnds, and
| In the fields are making for the bluffe,
HheIs they find shelter and hibernate In
the assures and creviees during the cold
season, and IL is o common thing to see q
snake swimming the Mississippi in the fall
OF the year, always going toward the hills.
Mr.. Louis StiriII. of Clifton Terrace,
who has frequented the river along the Pi-
asa Bluffs almost all hie life, says be hiss
seen the time in the month of November
when you couldn't cross the river at Cliff
ton In the middle Of the day without see
Ing half deEsn snakes skimuing toward
the Illinois bluffs, and that he has often
killed as many a. four or fve rsttlesnskes
with an oar while rowing from his place
to Alton. These snakes lie In q comAtoss
condition in winter, and just as soon as
the warm rays of q spring sun creep into
the rocks they crawl out. back In the tun
for few dsys, and then Aide down the
shales and Of to the loulsnds.
Last fall the writer was hunting along
the bluffs above Elssh, when he had an
experience that convinced him that snakes
really do migrate. he noticed an old man
walking along the rivers edge, who seemed
to be intently watching somethipg on the
water with . pair of hsld glasses. His
actions excited curiosity. and the hunter
climbed down the bluff and Joined the
stranger at the edge OF the water. The
man carried . hesvy sack, . pair Of f,ld
glasses and queer pair of long wooden
tongs, and when Questioned replied that
he was o snake catcher, all the while scan
ming the surface of the water with his
glass. In the course of ten minutes be
sighted game, which proved 10 bs O snake
swimming for shore some two hundred
yards above. The old man Immediately
picked up his tongs, and just ss soon ss
the snake had landed be grabbed him with
the wooden claws. The catch proved TO
be black snake, and he was stoued away
In the sack. For another hour he piled
his trade, during which time he caught
four snakes-two water snakes, one garter
snake and spreading adder. The latter
he put In the ssck, hberstipg the others
wish the remark that they were fno good"
Those other snakes are good" snakes
now, however, for the writer appointed
himself . commiitse TO swat every one of
them on the soft side of the head with the
hard end of an overgrown psbble.
The old man had vaIsd very genial by
this time, and together with my eomrade,
who had just come up. We went up to the
house to see his collection. he liTtd In a
little cabin boat In back room of which
he had over ffty live and his.iDg snakes,
which be said he sold to q man In St.
Louis, who sold them to different parties
for different usee- "How did / learn the
tricki" said the snake hunter well, cir,
learned IL when Q boy. We used 10 live
on the bluffs above and near the wiscon.
ain line, and every fall the Indians would
come down from the reservation and catch
| rsttlssnakes when they crossed the river
They sold the dead snakes to q man at
the fort, and learned the trick from
| the Indians. Every fall the snakes take
to the bluffs, and they only swim the
river when the sun is wsrmest 10 the
middle of the day. / used 10 catch them
with . boat, like the Indians, but I've
learned . trick the reds didn't know,
| and that ia that you can catch more
snakes along the shore with one-half the
/ work.