The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-25
.ctTCIDE AMONG SNAKES.
-.rn,ctUEyTs THAT DRIVE THE
FHh RATTLE Err TO 1T.

a. srrrery-How y severed Snake ruts
49,, Torcther In Potter Comfy, Pa.-Tho
Iii, between Poisonous and inaocuous
s-.tc.-Bncn Snakes as Hard Fighters.
.,-...s" said tho naturalist, 'have their
go, IN the world. Thov are the scAv-
- ~ swamps and morasses where othcr
@,,u..,. NJ ,ize arc unable to penetrate or ex-
mi :, IA in the tropics. of course, that ser
chieay abound. All snakes are of troplc-
p,u,dn' hut some species have spread into
~, ATTITUDES. In very cold countries. there
- snskes. Contrary to tho popular be-
~ y, ,bore are scmo make In Ireland. but
- very rare. The smallest serpents in
y. ovid are the worm snakes Of the tropics.
G.-,rs about as big as fair.sized earthworine.
~. snakes lay eggs. willis others bring forth
~, Young alive. In the latter category are
-, ruttlesnakes, all venomous snakes, and
,..,,v all water snakes. Pythons incubate
~, eee, nfter laying them, as a hen does hers.
erie tooth Of the rnttlesnnke or cobra is so
.,.,n an ins,rum mt that beneath q powerful
.,ro,cope the point looks perfectly smooth.
-h.,,,s. under the sAEe maGnifer, the point
u. needle appears rough. 1t often happens
~, an ignorant person will remove the pol.
.n tsnes Of n vcnop,ous serpent, imagining
~, the operation renders tbs animal perma-
, ,,n,lv harmlcss. This mistake Is apt to give
N. TO fatal accidents. Within n few days
a. next two teeth behind the extracted fangs
nave forward and establish q connection with
AZ. po,,on glands. Then the snake is az dan
,,uus as ever. Fakirs in India understand a
uore effective process. They cut out the poi
an glands ami amply hot irons. destroying
Inc parts entirely. Even the cobra II ay to
rendered in that way as innocuous rs 4 kitten.
Among the most venom rus serpents In the
world are the marine snakes OF the Indian
ocean. They are the dread of fishermen. and
n sometimes happens that vessels are obliEed
10 thread th>ir cahlee through barrels In order
"a nreyent the reptiles from swnrming on hoard.
Great. numbers OF them MAY often be seen
dating on the surface OF the water as IL asleep.
They are exceedingly fierce. and will commonly
attack human begins without provocation.
tine power Of continuing motionless. with
the lifted head PROTECTING forward for an In
definite time. is one OF the most wonderful of
he s~erpent's muscular feats. In this attitude,
NTH the round. unwinking eyes fixed on the be-
bolder's face. the effect may DO Very curious
md uncnnny. Ernest Glanville. n Sou. III ART
an traveller. describes n strange ex. eriencs he
onee had with n snake exercising this rover.
when a boy he frequently went out intn the
bush In quest OF game. and On one Of lese
solitary excursions he sat down to rest in the
blade OF a willow on the bank o n shallow
Ittam sitting there. with cheek resting on his
hand. he fell into a hoyish reverie. After some
tine be became aSare 10 o SnRue way that
On the white randy bottom OF the stream
vas stretched a long. BLACK line. whi"n had
iurpe time regarding II without recognizing
utat 1t was. out all at once. with an icwnrd
,hock. became fully conscious that he was
sprarent motion. 70 softly and silently. was it
cone, the snake reared It's head above the sur
nee and neld Il there. erect and still. with
usn OF what he might be-. 1t flashed upon
Granville then thar it would 10 a good oppor-
unity 10 test the power OF the hu man ere on q
mare and he sRt linRelf IN rho tast- nf Iopl-
hE 1t down. 1t was a foolish effort. The
bronze head and sinewy neck, about which the
n stone. and the cruel. unwinkirR eyes. with
The lsht coming and going in them. appeared
10 glow more brightly the logger he looked.
Of sckepinE fear. which II he had yielded to it.
vosld have left him powerless to move. but
with q cry he lesped mp: and. se.z;ng a fallen
willow branch. attacked the reptile furiously
Nd broke the strange spell.
Probably the idea Of the Icanti origin sted In
asfmilar experience Of some native. The lcanti.
.eserdinE 10 tho African legend; is y power
tul and malignant being. that takes the form
q q great serrent that lies at night In como
iesp. dark pool. and should q man intautiously
approach and look down into the water he
would De held there by the power of the great
planning eyes and finally draw down against
par forever in the black depths.
III you never saw q snake climb n tree you
have missed a sight thIt Is worth going u good
.eoull. of years ago. and l could hardly be-
lave my eyes. for / had always supposed when
. snake went up n tree IL climbed by throwing
up by moving round and round y. The books
will tell you that 10 the way a snake climbs o
tree and will show You pictures Of snakes In
the act OF twisting themselves about the tree
trunk and working upward toward the branches.
But the fact OF the matter IL. they don't do any
thing Of the sort. | was in the country. and
me day went out TO look up some botanical
specimens. when l came suddenly upon q black.
make clinginR 70 the side Of a small. 70 1Rh-
etked tree. Tho reptiles head was about
ten feet from the ground. and It's body was
tn5n up BY o number OF very short and abrupt
suIves. The straight pl, ces between these
curves Fitted closely in the perpendicular cor.
ruliuons OF the bark on the tree for several
inehes NJ a stretch. and took advantage of
sr.J rough spot or ~crcvice IL the bark. both
Siss ,isss ana the lefi; ! went up to the foot
ard 70 get itself in that queer position.
eon found OFT. for the reptile. alarmed ct my
i Ssdsa o. THv Sv me @o a most .,d inisre sn &c Z sHp la.
ugnk. working the curvntures of its long
etI on the tree with head raised five or SIX
4 ncand. Al fret It seemed as II the q was
coming down the tree. AS its movem, nts now
and then brought it with head pointed down
iust the sane. The snake lid not once at
1mpt 70 encircle the tree with Its body. but
Eiaeo me side oft with the gre Attest ease:
nen. 10 II Il didn't intend to be forced TO O
paee where il had no particular business. II
.1Ineu anu came down the tree In the same
mluous Why that II had climbed II. The move
nsnt was slow. the snake occupying Nj least
d. feet.
That same summer I surprised a black
nase iobSing q birds nest of It's eggs In an
.soie ttee on the far IL where ! was stopping.
80 niRstebrd II OUT. The snake came down
~ uec lust as the frst one had done. except
Ist y came q deal faster. IL glided away
,nIVtgh Tie grass like n fash and disar.
sNns n ihe birds. whore Eest the snake had
simeea The tree To rob. were Dying frantically
~. tnfough the branches. and l sat down
sTs.uh Them. They cuietsd down in n few
Inaasles. and the female resumed her place ON
shssi. had no idea the snake would return.
~ nm 'ess Than ten minutes 1 saw IL stealing
IA ~ lie RIhss again toward the. tree. IL
~ 49,. y The Tree and Immediately started up
VA, ssh again In the way i have described. It
~ Up Us easily as n fly walks up a pane Of
~. Before u GOt TO the neat, though. IL
sars Uncovered BY the two birds. They flew
nv Gart1ng at IT. in, efforts to friRhten IL
~. Vnc Of the birds made a dive at the
~ No. head. With q move .pent CT light
~ M s~xitneAs the blacksnako struck at the
y n.ssiieu II By one le1, AID started with the
NJ huk victim down the tree. the birds
tI..hn "Netlhk over tie snASe and striking IL
n \. Win her beak. hurried forward and
EEvtn,ro snake on It's way down and belabored
ID AZ . switch, the only Trims l could ind 70
Nd In .n WEAPON. The reptile held on TO the
tar spipe of my Interference until II was
ts,r 1e cotton. whcn II evidently became
mr. = ior lie Owl safety and released It's
Ie Inn !" escaped from me and dis opeared in
10 a y grass again. followed II. but IL was
hs Itd,nh N lis mGyemento for me and got 70