The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-04-04
A BLACK SNAKE SWALLOWING A GARTER SNAKE.


pAins TO reconnoitre. Seeing nothing from
aAsrs stood moved out into the open.
baking my way over the great trunks ly-
70 psosirate across my route. Coming to
re ~ these Of unusually big diameter, ]
e.mbed Up on 1t and was about 10 jump
egwn oa the other side. when / noticed a
iang. black snake slowly making his way
among the cloas and bits Of charred
wanehes with which the ground was
srrwa. 81 once rushed at him. pinned
tewn hts head with my stick. and took
Aai Of his neck. lie was a surprise. I had
fsses seen the like or him in Trinidad. lie
as JET black coiuhrine snake. and with
e11 . ioreai shield-a tell tale head plate.
ihs absence az which marks the deadly
ElApadaA ! pried open his jaws. but found
iaat he was not an FLAPS, for he had no
'saEs, bat four rows Of teeth In the upper
"a There was. however. a red spot In
~ upper gums almost under the eye In
ssra 81 the upper teeth rows. ,
Perhaps tsis Is something entirely
fes. thought | 10 myself. as I toyfuily
Fers' him away IN the bag with the tiger
ia.
After supper the overseer and chatted
sae smoked for some time. and then threw
as'ssiyes into our hammocks-he TO dream
4ss shaks Tag was hanging under the
ssves q the ''a3oupa." 50 as 10 To well out
= tae way and safe from any rrowling
smal that during thu night might wan
81 y Erefn the woods. II must have heea
somewhere about IN the morning when n
ne
oef up" said he. and light the lamp:
surely something wrong with those
saAke& There has been a great scrsprtne
- Essssng n the baE for the past half
Spraying up and lighting the lamp. I
- aewn tie hag. and opened *. The ne
= a~s night something was wrong. The
4ea snake. ny new discovery. Was in the
q sNAtlawfne nv tiger snake. Indeed,
ess BAN already half swallowed. snd
- Hast have taken considerable time.
ese tiger snake was at least Eve ies;
e add fully as thick as the black one.
~esa& 70 Nsys nay tiger snake. / shook
- eoth ent om tha noor and made TIE
.sNSr Gagoree. / then pnt him hack
.as Rag eut the tiger snake Was dead
- re osheF hsd killed hlm I was an-
e learn. out he was evidently = cane
- sn4kes and I could stora no mere
sskss In the bag With him.
NsFsaia sps=sies 81 snakes are ny nature
ssls, end sone prey on their cphidian
sshs oaly, 1ais hanit have never see n
TIE haa az vipeFs, bat among the
~tsase = = common and is not unusual
ss tae harmless Eeluhrfdaa. ~ these
'sf sas geu0s Cphibolus Includes mary
ae&ts, the Tuiis snake being the COM
as lH fhe Dute5 states.
1870 gre aaestH 81 serpent cannihais
-. Were arr t.eree general methods II
~Flas and ere covering thelr prey
ss r.
- ~ venom
several months past have kept ia
stisefion yetjoW oph8 bolas. or klng
tFeM Texas. he Is about i've feet
~aA an taca IN diameter. VeTs cy36n~
th shaee wsfA hts head and neck CT
re Same tAf-kress F'or some weeks
-. hsss en Esr}sr sna keS. which were
so esS1is nsaHsRsf- rhsn resolved
ara wtfA a .&rEe va ter~Snake. some
- sset in lenetn sra as thscs s. aim
Ane sATter ses kes 40 hsd always
81 s5xat srd swallowed salekl Is.
-. sT@ we.3e sEu living HIS tactics
- e laFSe- ana sncve powerful water
- &eFs ss.1se.y deterrent
@ea N1t g. RI sse cage be suparert3v
60 - Fe0oe "a SIS more faTFnlGs a8#
e. ef itAe eaatear = hay. he sata-
4ss'sss.f ia oaa earner. Then be slowly
ee2 tae wat~r~snake ard touch ~
-. Is 'osEas as Il 70 ascertain is ma
- < aaeee4 rapl3fg ayouna gne case
- s7'ss4 80 etefE uostaa. hat ala not
y ae presently n@eaa 80 met in
wsleh svsee.s ,--ass.ser,ts. sntsln-
-. ~ esa SO tHe water snake lay
- -as St@s make very slowly. ~ a.
- -sHSsesee as-fte 8tsrsas approached lg.
~ s@a0 Z at ever wssa rs tongue.
- - &s aseaK aue ssste taktmw care
3 - se~s -ss eeat Eann - wenf ever