The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-07-20
SNAKES THAT KILL YOUNG TROUT
EmeIuth CIark's story of the Trick
Played by Four Diamond Backed
Water MOccasins.
From the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
Milford, Conn.-Emeluth Clark of Wood
bridge thinks that he has discovered a
new foe of the trout in the Wepawang
river. 1t is not catfish, minks. coons,
muskrats, or even pot-fishing seiners from
Derby, but snakes Clark had an oppor-
tunity yesterday Of INDUCING in his faVo-
rite pastime Of providing along the river
and noting the size and condition OF the
trout fry with which he stocked the brooiS
last spring. He has observed marked
decrease in the shoals of little speckled
babies, and as his ducks and those OF the
neighbors, which destroyed last years
plant of fry have been kept confined, he
knew that some other enemy was at
work.
Reaching a shallow pool, well screened
by thick clump of alders, he crept near
the margin and looked over. A curious
sight was presented to his eyes. Four
large diamond backed water moccaslns
lay coiled among the washed out roots Of
the trees, at slight distances apart. They
were so intent on something in the water,
and he was so stealthy, that they took
no notice of his presence. With very good
judgment they had selected pool where
a small rill emptied into the main stream,
in which a great shoal Of young trout
had congregated. The snakes waited I'M
till the restless regiment of baby fish
gradually swept around close TO the shore
where they lay, and then very quietly.
very slowly they extended their ugly
necks, dipping their heads just below the
surface. Against the background Of river
and mud their dull colored. hattened heads
hardly showed at all. and in fact II was
with great difficulty that Mr.. Clark could
keep his eyes on them. Then he saw
and allow them to hang loose in the slight
current. swaying and curling.
The whole subtle artIhce flashed upon
him In an instant. The tongues showed dis
tinctly like four wiggling, struggling
earthworms, turning themselves around
four brown roots. That the gullible fry
was deceived was made evident by their
swimming toward the snakes and crowd
ing to get the first bite at the prizes. The
cunning serpents even permitted the little
fish to take hold, to nibble their tongues,
and then quicker than thought the heads
drew back, and in each mouth q tiny red
starred trout struggled for a second and
then was gulped down out Of sight,
For moment Mr.. Clark could not be-
lieve his senses. He looked again and saw
that the snakes were busy decoying the
surviving trout second time. 1t was too
much for an enthusiastic lover of trout to
endure. Interesting as the trick of the moe
casins might be to naturalists, II was sim
ply a massacre to him, and he took a
speedy revenge. He hurried back to the
house, got a shotgun, and killed the four
epicures. Had they been content to dine
on dace or field mice or anything except
trout they might yet be living.
Following down stream he kept coming
upon snakes. singly. in pairs, and in par
ties Of five or six. busily cleaning out the
two inch trout. During the forenoon he
killed thirty-eight before his supply of
ammunition gave out, and after dinner he
again tackled the job. Before dark he had
added to his mornings record ifty-four
more water moccasins. big and small,
Some of his victims were among the larg-
est snakes ever seen in the neighborhood,
ten measuring more than five feet apiece
in length, and one being seven feet three
inches long and as thick at the biggest
part Of It's body as the calf of a mans
leg. In the stomach Of this monster was
found more than a solid two-quart meas
ureful Of undigested young trout
Mr.. Clark declares that he will continue
the war until he has extermlnated the
water snakes. More than that, he has
offered a bounty of five cents apiece for
every dead moccasin delivered al his farm,
and 50 the schoolboys are organizing
snake hunts