The sun., 1895-02-24
Fun that the Yellow Racer and the Hoop
snake Have Together.

SCRANTON. Feb. 2O.-"There is a species O.
whiDsnake in thc Lone Star State, the male OF
which Is jet black ard the female pea green"
said former resident OF Texas. They arc
long, slim reptiles. and they climb trees and rob
birds nests with remarkable CELEBRITY.
The yellow racer OF Texas Is anothc- inter-
esting snake. When he crnwls his movements
are from side to side. but when he races he
undulates, with his head several inches In the
air, and he can get over the ground almost as
fast ms jack rabbit You will often see yell
low racer chasing red-belied hoOpsnake,
and vice versa. Sometimes you will see
them racing side by side, neither seem.
ing to try to outspeed tho other. and both
getting over the ground for the fun OF the thing.
The most amusing snake race | ever saw out
there was between a hoopsnaks and rscer.
There was big bulge in the hoopsnaks's body,
evidently caused by large toad in his stomach.
and he wabbed SO that every little while hc
would lose his balance and tumble sideways.
The racer al.o had n large lump in his body, but
1t didn't bother him much in travelling. ana he
stopped and waited whenever the hoopsnake
tipped over. The hOOpsnake would look Up and
start in again. and he and the racer covered
more than two miles in that way going ahead OF
the horse was riding
while trying 10 net pigeons one season saw
yellow racer crawling toward tbs stool pigeon.
For the moment was more concerned about
hawk that had been c!rcllRg overhead for some
time. and didn't pny much attention TO tho
snake, A. length tie hGNk tived nt the stool
pigeon and kpOcEcd the hrcsth ont of II. With,
out waiting ior the hawk 10 snatch tho stool
bawH,. nr"k aud bre.st. % Suddenly h homn.pake 1ke
rolled past me NJ top speed and brought up near
the stool pigeon, Ne II he WAS g"ins 90 help the
fore the h0opSuale got ChauCc To tackle II.
II hadn't assembled more thnn ZOO feet when
the hawk dir ped like u wnd Of mud, thirty
feet or 80 from thn stool pIgcon. The hoop
snake hNd been gerlng ~ The hawk nS i he was
right at Il aud C"!nmcnGcd to lhump II on the
head Win his horn The hnw@ screamed and
struggled violently, and the racer tifhtcncd his
coils ArOund its wings and prevented H. from rS-
ing. II couldn't fight with its claws, and the
h0opsnaEc continued 10 h,mmcr il on the head,
and the racer to squeeze il. rs il it mad been 4
put-up job between the snakes beforehand to
tackle me hnWS m t,S that NAY The hoqpsnsGe
shape with his sharp horn; n = little while tho
hawk ceased 10 stir, and the racer unwonnd
Bot reptiles ga2ed at the dead bird for mo-
lnent, and then the hOopsnake hooked his tail
The opossum snake of Texas feigns death II
you tap il on The back with q switch, and some
times when You make quick strike az and
scared opussum snake will remain quiesccnt
until sunset, no matter how early IN the day YOU
scare 1t, and then ! will glide on At great 'peed.
switchtng the ground near T. The snake made
bly, have seen mo, and for. an hour
and forty minutes Il remained perfectly
IL lacked two hours and
twonty minutes OF sundoWn, but | had
concluded to stay there and see whether the
snake would clear out. lost the chance, how
ever. for within few minutes pair Of turkey
buZzaFds lii on the snake together, IL began 10
squirm and non and beat the grass, but II had
waited little too long, for the buZzards pulled
IL n two speedily, each sailing away with
half.
:" At another time | watched an opossum
snake for hours. and paid for II little after
sunset by seeing monster oSl pounCe upon II,
tie II into knOts and sail or with IL"