Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-11-09
FOE TO aATTLcsNAkcs.
The Little klnssnaks Always Taekies
che vsNemeus Ssspsnt.


No matter whit the size Of the Arizona
rattlesnake, little, harmless two and
half or three foot kingsnake will tackle
these monsters and vanquish them sooner
or later. He not only seeks the king Of
venomous serpents, but also destroys all
other poisonous kinds whenever he has
an opportunity. For this reason people
Of that region, black or white, who have
lived In the territory for any length Of
time, will never kill a kingsnake know.
ingly or willfully. Soldiers In camp al.
ways welcome his presence, for rs they
never do any harm themselves II Is O sure
thing that no poisonous snakes will ever
venture In camp while kingsnakes are
around. The extreme length Of this ser.
pent IL seldom more tlian four and half
or five feet. lis body Is slender and
1.-the, evidently built especially for con.
stricting; In color he Is bright pea green,
notified with white and black spots, and
quicker even than the coachwhip.
A citizen Of Tucson, Of undoubted
veracity, year ago described to the
writer fight that lie and his wife had
witnessed between a kingsnake aud o
black water mOccasln while camping on
stream OF water over the line In chihuahua,
Mexico.
II was sitting" said he, ION a fallen
cypress which extended some distance
into the water. catching perch for supper.
noticed large water. moccasin summing
himself on q level bench Of dry mud that
formed part Of the bank near me. I
watched him for half I'm hour, when sud.
denly heard q slight rustling on shore
and saw the moccasin start for the water
at double quick, but he was too late.
Like . green flash, q beautiful kingsnake
about four feet long came darting through
the grass and placed himself between the
mOccasin and the water. Then began
one Of the most singular and interesting
contests ever witnessed. The moccasin,
finding Ills retreat cut of, instantly threw
himself into u coil, and, with his head
raised about u foot above his body and
swaylng to and fro, his eyes glittering
with an angry fire and his forkcd tongue
flashing back and forth, gathered all his
energies for defence In the deadly con.
fict which he knew was bound to follow.
ELLIS smaller and more active adversary
eyed him for moment and then began Ia
run with great rapidty around him In a
gradually narrowing circle. keeping Ills
own head raised few inches above the
earth and apparently watching for au
opening. The mOccasin always turned
slowly In his coil, 80 as to always face his
assailant. Once or twice he led vlciously
at tue latter's head, but recovered In time
to prevent q counter This went on for
perhaps ten or fifteen minutes, when sud.
denly-and fur too quickly to be followed
by the eye-there was a flash Of green and
white In tho mir, and then confused mass
Of wrlthlng, twisting serpcnts rolling over
and over on tho ground, resembling the
maglc.lantern display Of colorcd wheels.
presently the mass began to tt.se
definite shape, and then II was seen thu,
the kingsnake had caught Its big advers.
airy by the left lower jaw ind was holding
on with bulldog grip, while lie wrapped
bis own body around that Of the m0ccasiu
like cord around pole. Then the
squeezing process began, and soon the
huge mOccasin began to straighten out,
while the folds Of the kingsnake were
drawn 80 closely as to almost bury them.
selves In his body. Finally the mOccasln
grew quiet except for slight wriggling
Of the tail, and after lying still for some
ten minutes or more the kingsnake, still
holding his grip by the jaw, gradually nm
wound himself from the body 0f the Other
until they lay side by side on the ground,
"Ie waited In this position some
minutes longer, apparently to assure him
self that his opponent was really dead,
aud then let 20 Ills jaw hold, took one OF
two farewell trips around the body, and
disappeared In the brush"
This experience Il somewhat similar "a
one had near Benson Springs two years
ago. was climbing hill hunting FOL
millipcdes when suddenly came upon {
very big rattlesnake and a very small king
snake engaged In deadly combat. Thu
fight had no doubt been In progress fol
some time. as both combatants wcrs
nearly used up, so to speak. ! watched
them with interest, saw the little greer
fellow had his favorite jaw grip, aud tina
he was also slowly but surely squeezin,
the life out Of the big Crotalus horridus
The latter's eyes were bullying from TIN
terrific pressure, while his sdvcisar!
seemed pretty well worn out In drawing
his coils tighter and tighter. They wer'
sunk into the rattler's body In great ridges
and were so reduced from the awful ten
sion as to resemble small coil Of whip
cord around piece OF large rope. Whel
the rattler was dead the poor little king
! snake was so far gone rs to be unable I,
uncoil himself. ! performed this kin,
office for him, and after cutting min
raltles from the big ones tail placed tn
conqueror In small jar, and now hav
preserved him In alcohol for all time 4
Gonna in honor of his great and glOriou