Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1896-05-01
DO SNAKES CHARM?
THERE ARE PROS AND CONS TO THIS
QUESTION APPARENTLY.

the cause of much earnest discussion
among local uaturalists. The question
| discussed was, "Do Snakes Charm or
Hypnotic Their Prey One Of the
naturalists had the unusual but fortunate
! experience at EScouddo of happening
upon IA large gopher shake just as the
reptile was about 10 overcome a trem-
! bling cottontail rabbit and enveiop the
Animal i'll its deadly coils For some
time the naturalist watched the snake S
movements.
1t was within 10 or ~ inches of the
apparently fascinated rabbit. Silently
and almost imperceptibly the snake had
wormed its way nearer and nearer TO its
victim. It's eyes glistened with an in
tense brightness. Not a movement did
IL make which might alarm the timid
rabbit. The fOrked tongue, which TO
the eye of human being is 50 repulsive
and intended to be terrifying, appeared
10 exert an entirely different influence
upon the mind Of the innocent rabbit.
This darting tongue either excited
the victims curiosity or caused the ami
NAL 10 so concentrate its mind on the
snakes tongue as to throw that mind
into a hypnotic condition Of such
strength that it could not break the
spell and run away from impending
death The forked tongue darted out of
the snakes mouth almost as regularly
and rapidly as the needle of sewing
machine rises and falls in the cloth. The
1.-the body crept nearer and nearer. The
rabbit was motionless. It's eye was fixed
on the piercing eye Of the snabe. Even
the waving of the wind kissed shrubs
about the rabbit failed TO break the spell,
and softly and slowly grim death i'll
snake form wreathed its folds about the
creature. Then was the spell broken.
But the strong coils Of tine snake were
in position. Never rabbit lived that
could break that embrace of death.
Realizing at last the terrible peril, the
terrified rabbit struggled vainly 20 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 despairing cry almost hu-
man III its intensencSs and sound. Ii
was the rabbits last earthly utterance
An extra twist Of the cruel coils and
poor bunny was no more. Lungs, heart
and bones were literally crushed The
snake did not relax the pressure for full
ly ten minutes. Unwinding 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. As a gopher snake is not poi
sOuOus and has no well developed fangs
its only means Of killing prey is by con
striction. In order to catch an animal
it seems almost necessary for the snake
TO fascinate the victim.
Other naturalists claim that snakes do
not possess the power Of fascinating ell
Their birds or animals. One man who has
given the matter much study remarked
that mo error Is apparently more rooted
in the human mind than that which at
tributes TO snakes this peculiar power Of
fascination. BY this power they are
said to be able 50 to paralyze their vic.
Tins that the birds or animals are rem
dered utterly incapable Of movement and
wait for the attack Of a snake or even 90
forward to meet it in fear and trembling,
but without any power of retaliation.
Now, any one who watches the be-
havior of small animals placed alive as
food in the cages III which snakes are
kept in captivity in the hope of seeing
this marvellous power in operation Will
be grievously disappointed. Chickens,
rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, all move
about with an utter absence Of fear Of
the snakes. My belief is that it is posi-
bic TO account for the popular belief that
snakes possess Il power 10 fascinatG for
several reasons An observer may come
on the scene and find number of birds
mobbing snake just rs they will mob
an owl or "a buZzard The dashes Of the
bind toward the snake and their flutter-
ing round lt may easily be put down TO
the effect of the snakes glance, while
they are in reality merely attempts of
the birds To drive of the intruder A
mother bird whose young are attacked
Will almost certainly behave in this way
and may herself fall a victim, not TO the
power Of fascination in the snake, but
W lIlt lbItt tl HcT IldteIUUl IctllHRS.
1t may be the mobbing Of the snake
by the companions of victim that has
been seized or Of mother whose nest
has been robbed; 1t 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, aud
what about the fascination exercised on
man, eases of which have undoubtedly
been recorded? The explanation lies in
the probability that it is case of self
hypnotism.
1t is an error to suppose that will
power has anything to do with the ef-
feet. The matter has been taken up sci
entifically by the medical profession ana
l. has been found that the hypnotic
state Of sleep or trance, or whatever it
may be termed, can be produced by
looking fixedly at the operator or at
coin or at the tip of ones own nose. 1t