The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-10-10

the lighting point the individual courage
Of every bird In the flock. They actual
ly began, while looked on, to attack
the snake. One of them with claws and
beak flew vioiously at his nose, where
upon he abruptly drew back be-
meath the leaves. But he soon again
poked out his head and neok-evidently
this time with discrimination to catch
0ne-l could see his intention by the
gathering curves In his neck. As soon
rs he appeared again the birds drew off
a little. as if repealed by his threatening
appearance.
THE EXCITED BIRDS.
Now he would look sharply to the left.
and now to the right. as If uncertain
which side he ought to attend to most.
The birds perceiving that even now he
didn't injure them, or even do anything
alarming, gradually few by in olosor
proximity to his snout, making, il pos
sible, still more noise than before. AS
he drew out his body upon the wlthereu
stump, the curves in his neck grew more
numerous and defined. The birds prob
ably suspected that he meant to attack
tenn. for they now lowered about his
back and not out before his nose. I
noticed that his tail was ooiling more
and moro about the dead limb on
which he lay-he was clearly steadying
himself for spring. At each moment
the excited birds came nearer and nearer
TO him, az if they meant to again attack
him. They even swoUped within foot
of him.
Suddenly he turned his head around
sideways. as if looking backward, ana
then shot upward fully two feet of his
length, Selling bird that had ventured
within his reach. The quickneas of his
SUCCESS surprised me. He Ind grabbed
her from beneath by the body, SO that
her wings were left free. She futuered
wildly and squeaked loudly aud pitiful-
ly, SO as to be heard above the noise Of
her companions who instantly scattered
in terror to the tops of the neigh boring
trees, leaving the triumphant boom-slang
to enjoy his dinner in peace.
Although snatching bird thus from
u threatening flock is not by any means
the only way in which snakes secure
feathsred prey. still it is perhaps the most
often to be seen. and is most spoken of
and misunderstood. Consequently it
merits to be examined In analy sis. SO
that we may see exactly how far astray
Ia the popular superstition that the snake
gets his prey by the hypnotic power of
his stony and unblinkina stare.
HOW IT HAPPENED.
Reasoning from adventures of snakes
with birds, which have seen since in
South Africa. South America. the West
indies and in the woods about New York
the explanation of the episode of the
boo.nslang and the birds is an follows:
The large eyed tree snake, gliding
slowly about the bush since early morn
ing, saw no doubt from time to time
many birds. and many birds saw him,
without calling together flock to attack
him. On the contrary, all these few
away at his approach, to peck at their
bel ries in another tree or search a little
further off for their insects. always keep
ing one eye on their enemy, Of course,
as long as they were both in proximity.
Why should they be unduly alarmed at
mere sight of snakep Snakes were not
at all uncommon, and were seen so often
that If birds were to gather in excited
focks every time one was noticed by
them gliding about in the sun, the poor
birds would find very little time to eat
or attend to their nests.
Why should the birds, which saw the
boomslang in 9th er places that morning,
be unduly alarmsds They could easily
ana did easily avoid him. There was
plenty of room in the world for him and
for them. But when he went into the
branches of that spek- boom the case
changed entirely; every bird that heard
of his trespass there HAD just cause for
complaint, and even for serious alarm,
because two of them had made a nest in
the vicinity. Now. just previous to my
first hearing their cries, he had either
newly arrived on that branch, or at
least had been then first noticed by the
owners of that nest.
Now, the cry of alarmed or distressed
motherhood is cry SO distinctly appeal
ing above all other cries that 1t stirs up
ths very utmost soul of nature, and
rouses in desperate deeds, not only man
himself, savage or civilized, but even
animals, with which otherwise We seem
to have very little In common. Gregari.
GUS beings especially are quick to sympa-
thize with the heartrending cry of mater
nifty. Every one il aware how flock Of
sheep, ordinarily SO timid, will, In
LANDING time, when a strange dog ap-
proaches, gather and try to drive him
from the neiehborhood. So it was with
the birds.
CRY OF THE MOTHER.
When the snake on the withered
.tur,p atickinO ont from the snek -hoOm