Milford chronicle., 1896-09-04
BLACK SNAKES AND RATTLERs.
Some Interesting Facts Told by Mar
Who Understands Reptiles.

Some Interesting Facts Told by Man
Who Understands Reptiles.
"It's n shame to kill those harmless lit
tie snakes, F" snid Rattlesnake Pete yester-
day afternoon when reporter told Of re-
cent trip to the country, where he saw a
farmer kill several garter snakes. Pete
had just finished placing - new snakes in
the case adjoining the den Of rattlers,
which has long been the pride OF his heart.
LAS soon as any one commences talk
ing snake, " said Pete, Il am right at
home. How many snakes have in alg
Oh, about rs Those in that side are all
poisonous, but these are not known to be
very bud F."
At this the snake fancier took from a
bunch Of reptiles light brown snake with
dark spots on its body. Pete explained
that it was spotted adder and was one
Of a new lot he had just received.
The spotted adder can bite, " said Pete,
but there is no poison. As he said that
he opened the snakes mouth with his fin
gers and exposed n dangerous looking
tongue but there were no fangs such as
the rattlers and other poisonous snakes
have.
The new snakes received yesterday were
contributions from friends Of Pete in
Miami, l. r. The box In which the
snakes came was marked, M pounds
of snakes, SO cents II pound There
was 10 other writing on the box 9th
er than the address of - Peter Gruber,
which is Rattlesnake Pete's more formal
name. The box contained snakes of the
following species: Cotton mouth snakes,
copperheads, chicken snakes, copper bottom
and mud snakes.
1t will be seen that most Of these snakes
are very poisonous The cotton mouth is
similar to the rattlesnake in every way ex-
cepting the lack of rattles. 1t is said that
these snakes are more poisonous than rat
tiers, but Pete, who has had considerable
experience nursing snake bites, does not
believe it.
The chicken snake lisa black snake, with
red spots dotted here and there on its body,
and is quite pretty. As Pete took one OF
them from the case and examined it thor
Oughly he remarked that he guessed there
wasn't much poison about it. The copper
bottom snakes are similar to the snakes
found in Florida and other southern states.
Pete also handled them with great readi-
ness, but in taking the cotton mouth, cop
perhead and mud snakes from the box he
used more caution.
long box arrived by express which was inn
mediately opened. 1t contained a large,
bright colored snake which is known as
coach whip. 1t was feet long and came
from Chadwick, Mo- The man Of many
snakes took the reptile and threw it in
with the others and locked up the cage.
As he locked lie door he pointed to
four foot snake which was curled up in
one corner of the cage. He was copper
bottom from Florida. He had just swal-
lowed field, or garter snake measuring
about 3 feet in length. Another snake in
the same cage had just been fed on l6
small mice and one kitten n week old. In
order to prove that the snakes would eat
almost anything, Pete opened the den and
paced an ordinary egg in front of one OF
the largest reptiles. His snakeship was not
long in encircling the egg, and when he
swallowed it he was seen to tighten his
body as If to break the she'll
The attention of Rattlesnake Pete was
called to a statement which was published
from Cleveland, which stated that the
army worm which had been doing much
damage in the northern part Of Ohio had
an energy in the rattlesnakc. Pete stated
that not only did the Tattlesnakes deyour
the urnly worms, but all snakes were fond
of them.
"If the farmers only knew when they
werc well OF, . said Pete, their garden
truck would be much better If they allowed
the small snakes, which are generally
killed to live, that they might devour the
inseC.s."
Pete has known for u fact where snakes
have gone through gardens and picked
bugs off the Vegetables. Hence bis appeal