New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-14
SNAKES OF THE PALISADES
EARLY APPEARANCE OF THE REPTILES
THIS SPRING

THIS SPRING.
THE first snake Of the season." exclaimed work.
employed In tearing down the Palisades nearly
opposite Riverside Park. the other day. A heavy
blast had shattered the rocks into a thousand
fragments revealing deep assures. and out Of one
OF these a large blacksnake crawled. startled and
frightened by the rude shaking. Before any one
could capture him he had found another opening
and disappeared
THAT may be the first live snake Of the season."
remarked OF the blasters. but 1t certainly
isn't the first one that have seen among these
rocks I'm a dormant condition. over month ago
we made a heavy blast and exposed whole den
of ground and garter snakes curled up In a huge
ball They just quiet and stin as II they
were dead. 'At first nobody dared 10 touch them.
but finally poked them aroind with poie'
and they much as raised mead TO resent
IT, II was a pretty cold day, and every one OF the
ball was as dormant nail. We finally pulled
one or two from the bunch. and tried to rouse
them by tapping the head. But 1t was no use.
Not until they placed close to the ilre ala they
show the slightest sign OF life
..Not long before this we excavated another bunch
OF alternating snakes. and an Italian VINO was
working with SHOWED 50 much unnecessary
curiosity that we decided to play joke on him Inc
ball OF snakes at first frightened him. ana ne "ouh
not touch it until after we had assured MN over
and over again that II was harmless. we dragged
the bunch toward the fire. and told him to put MS
them ana take them H'ii' a. i''7''N 80
he might sell them for cells. He accepted the stua-
,ion yrayely even feeling OF the bodies OF the
snakes with his hands. To him me- were as oedd
as door-nas He left his coat over the bunch ana
returned 10 his work. When the whistle Die" al
a. clock every one watched the Italian curousy 10
see what he would do with his snakes IL was get
ting dusk. the days being short then. and the man
burredlv picked I'D his coat near the smouderins
fire % nut on AS he did small snake dropped out
Of the sleeve with a loud hiss. The man Jumped
hack and nearly landed upon the ball OF reptlles'
which now was as lively as on a summer gay.
The heat OF the fire and the protecting coat hdo
brought them TO life again In minute score OK
bisslne and writing snakes were surrounding the
frightened man. trying TO find some warm pro-
lection again. The Italian gave vent 10 series VI
frightened yells and cries. and then rushed aeross
the rocks until we thought he would break MS neck
Nobodv could stop him until he at least lN yaT1s
from the scene The persprat!on was running uo"n
his face and his hands trembed as though Win
palsy We couldn't induce him TO return 10 the
spot and one OF the men had 10 get MS coat lor
him All the way home in the dusk ne sa" SNAKES
in the road and more than once jumped asl-e IN
alarm. -,
"o, the following morning we looked for the
ren,iles Mos, OF them had crawled back into some
OF the assures and a few had hudd!ed up near ms
smouldering fire. and were as stn as pieces OF "ooo
with the cold. We thawed them out the next Gay
and gave them another chance to escape But that
on all sides. and they would return 10 e'e-s
time We took them dozen yards away ana
turned them loose but after raising their heads '''
the air TO take their bearings they wouH 'n'~
riab,y wrgg.e back - the hre.
In the summer visitors TO the Palisades meet
rnr,her Of harmless snakes crawling around but
| :, - only in the winter that they congregate IN
lunches In several OF the dens brought 10 i'snI
By the Blasting great variety OF SNAKES "ds
found Glrter-snakes adders. ground-shdhesl
blacksnakes. ground-rattlers and roek-sha"es we.
all hudded together, as II they hai aec.Ih ,es IN
give up all personal quarres among 'hshsem IA
order 10 derive mutual Dshs ' Se w s the poi.
sonous and poisonous snakes Is common u. e'
MSrther ,h Me kinds have wound closely together
in one ball 20 hibernate. -, ,..,
There il no better place to study the harinless
snakes ana lizards than along the Palisades opPo-
site Riverside Park. and around Fort Lse. ms ne
and one can watch them az distance from soIne
favorable point on the rocks Inc frogs anu n
foreground homes. and the reptiles have nard w0,n
md enough 10 keep sry Ptht ehe sk nE charming The
| small birds that may hop around ataons .se
| mi The birds are quicker and more active IMAM
| the snakes and IL takes nothing less tndH M,
terios power OF attraction for the reptiles to eaten
During the rst week IN April an instance rs q ,nis
snake was coed up among the rocks anu s.on nes
shiverng in the chilly air when orK Of Se snaks
aghted near him The quivering nead Oh tur
was raised instant and the DrIgnI eyf sernen
| N. birds att.ntlVeV. For some time tHe ~
kap, perfectly motioness position while me e so
hopped around picking up lltte crumbs OF a. az
R,it suddenly the flock jumped up with via , Mu,
ter ana flew away to nelgnSoring ire'i , iH ~.
nj discovered the presence OF the IrpIlI, pu' ~, .
.,r,iny cam. too late for one OF their number >
sSar,' eves of the snake never mover; put staI
sharp, eE y, ,ho heul.ss captive. The bird seemed
10 lose ali morton and merely ga>Pei our AMI
! Strn The coils OF the snake SLOW ~ UNIV an
|hn flsck head giIel almost mpercepuply OVAL ,i
the sparrow Nearer and nearer y apr aen,ej
Wi,bIn foot Of the bird 1t stopped anu s s'1
w ,t =, l,rf forward with quick MOTION SloMy
,be 6aai was raised into the air ana inc p:rH va"
tre ~, into coils again. Then WIN s,rlhe rs
tci, as flash the jaws of The snake c!usmt III :
MI and slowly began to gup II down. ie"'"e's anu
all -, .,,,,os ~ the Palisades have
2i ,non the small lizards 70 keep tntn Iv Vi
| 70 det"r" 9bo lizards are found in conslderapie
numbers near Fort Lee. and the +3 b ones are hen
h"n, the same time the snakes 40 nrs al on,er
aoo". @ once caught but they are sharp anu q"I,
nnSuSh 70 escape many times before m [ sier ihs
s. frnes and toads come forth ana the" 'e IVY
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