Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1896-07-31
! DO SNAKES CHARM?
rheRe ARE PROS AND CONS TO THIS
QUESTION APPARENTLY.

A gopher snake at Escondido has been
taIo cause of much earnest discussion
Among local uaturalists. The question
discussed was, "Do Snakes Charm or
Hypnotize Their Prey" One of the
naturalists had the unusual but fortunate
experience at EscondidO of happening
upon large gopher snake just as the
reptile was about to overcome trem-
bling cottontail rabbit and envelop the
animal in its deadly coils. For some
time the naturalist watched the snake .
movements.
1t was within 10 or Q inches OF the
apparently fascinated rabbit Silently
and almost imperceptibly the snake had
wormed its way nearer and nearer to lts
victim. It's eyes glistened with an in
tense brightness. Not a movement did
IL make which might alarm the tim!d
rabbit. The forked tongue, which to
tie eye of human being is so repuisive
ard intended to be terrifying, appeared
t. exert an entirely different influence
nDon the mind of the innocent rabbit
This darting tongue either excited
the victim curiosity on caused the ami
nal 10 so concentrate its mind on the
snakes tongue as TO throw that mind
into hypnotic condition of such
strength that it could not break the
suell and run away from impending
death. The forked tongue darted out OF
the snakes mouth almost as regularly
and rapidly as the needle of a sewing
machine rises and falls in the cloth. The
1.-THE body crept nearer and nearer. The
rabbit was motionless. Its eye was fixed
OIL the piercing eye of the snake. Even
the waving of the wind kissed shrubs
about the rabbit failed to break the spell.
and softly and slowly grim death in
snake form wreathed its folds about the
creature. Then was the spell broken.
But tho strong coils of the snake We're
in position. Never u rabbit lived that
coald break that embrace of death.
Realizing at last the terrible peril the
terrified rabbit struggled vainly to es-
cape. and as the rings Of the snake drew
closer about the frail form SO tightly
that breathing became difficult the rab-
bit uttered dosl airing cry almost hu-
man IN its inlensenCss and sound. 1t
was the rabbits last earthly utterance.
An extra twist Of the cruel coils and
poor bunny WAS 10 more. Lungs, heart
ard bones were literally crushed The
snake did not relax the pressure for full
~ ten minutes UAwnding itself, the
snake dragged the prey under an ad-
joining bush for dinner.
To the naturalist who watched the
capture OF the rabbit it appeared as if
the snake had certainly fascinated the
animal. A gopher snake is not poi
eonous and has no we'll developed fangs
Its only means Of killing prey is by con
strictiou. In order to catch an animal
ii seerls almost necessary for the snake
10 fasoiHate the victim.
Other naturalists claim that snakes do
rst' Q9ssess the power Of fascinating Ell
.cr bLisor animals One man who has
z ~en the matter much study remarked
tat $50 error Is apparently more rooted
s. fho human mind than that which at
tr.mtes to snakes this peculiar power of
fascination. BY this power they are
sad 70 be able 50 TO paralyze their vic
trls that jhe birds or animals are rem
q red utterly incapable Of movement and
Wit for the attack Of a snake or even 90
forward 90 meet il III fear and trembling,
cut without any power of retaliation.
Now, any one who watches the be-
h.viOr Of small animals placed alive as
fcod IL the cages III which snakes are
Kept in captivity in the hope Of seeing
tils marvellous power in operation will
bo grievously disappointed. Chickens,
rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, all move
about with Gn utter absence Of fear Of
tho snakes. Ny belief is that it is posi-
BIO to account for the popular belief that
snakes posse IS power 10 fascinate for
several reasons An observer may come
on the scene aud find Il number Of birds
pUbbing "a snake just as they will mob
al owl or buzzard. The iashes of the
bird toward the snake and their flutter-
Ing round it may easily be put down to
the oiiect of the snakes glance. while
they are III reality merely attempts Of
the birds to drive off the intruder
mother bird whose young are attacked
will almost certainly behave in this way
and may herself fall victim, not to the
power Of fascination in the snake, but
TO the force of her maternal feelings.
1t may be the mobbing of the snake
by the companions of victim that has
beeu seized or of mother whose nest
has been robbed; it may be simply the
effect of poison already injected before
the observer has come upon the scene,
or 1T may be simple curiosity. In ninety
nine cases out of hundred one or the
other of these causes has been at work.
What, then, Of the hundredth case, and
what about the fascination exercised on
man, cases of which have undoubtedly
been recorded? The explanation lies in
the probability that it is case Of self
bypnotism.
1t is an error to suppose that will
power has anything to do with the eff
feet. The matter has been taken up sci
CRITICALLY by the medical profession and
l. has been found that the hypnotic
state OF sleep or trance, or whatever it
uay be termed, can be produced by
locking 6Xpdlv at the ODerator or at n