Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-27


the bad effects OF the poison. This GER
tainly Is a most valuable discovery.
1 Another snake perhaps more feared By
some than the RATHER Is the copperhead
| CAnclstrodon contortrix), known as the
cottonmouth moccasln and red-cye In
the South. II ranges from the Catskills
to the Gulf States and west Of the Mis-
sissippi river. generally attains a length
Of two feet, and inhabts grassy 'mea-
| dows, also mountain regions. where 1t
| preys upon small animal, rarely attack
ing large ones. unless stepped upon.
Sometimes cows and horses. not seeing
| the cOpperhead In the long grass, acci-
dentally tread on II, and are Immediately
bitten. The bite Of the copperhead Is
! poisonous, but rot necessarily fatal,
when proper remedies are applied.
The water moccasin (Ancistrodon pis-
| civorus) is OF very pugnacious DISPOSE
| ton. and will. with savage ferocity, at
| tack both man and brute. II is found
| from the Pedee river to the Gulf States.
| In Texas there is a species known as the
| Texas moccasin. but the great strong
| hold OF this animal is the great swamp
| OF Southern Florida. These reptiles are
essentially watersnakes. and live princi-
pally upon fishes and small reptiles.
The care OF the snake for its young is
n question which has been very much dis
cussed, a great many instances having
been recorded OF eye-witnesses TO
the parent snake taking. when alarm
ed, its young into its mouth; where
as noted naturalists have asserted
that thew have never been able TO
discover this trait In the snake. A gen.
tleman living in Georgetown, S. c., dis
covered that the shrubbery on his lawn
near stream was tenanted by water
moccasn, and. locating the snake one
day. he placed a rabbit on log near the
stream and removed a short distance TO
watch the snake, which when it spied the
rabbit Immediately descended from the
bushes and crawled along by the log 10
the rabbit. When the moccasn had the
prey about half way down it's throat, the
gentlemen approached, when the snake
suddenly disgorged the rabbit, and max
ing noise like shrill whistle. a number
OF small moccasins quickly ran out from
under the log, entered the snakes mouth,
and she rapidly crawled away. II would
seem, therefore, that the moccasin used
this means for protecting her young The
RATHER and copperhead are also supposed
70 resort TO this habit when alarmed.
Perhaps one Of the most beautiful
snakes Of the United States is the harle
quin CElapfulvus). This snake has perma-
nently erect poison fangs, is venomous
disposition. Its coloring is exceedingly
rich and beautiful being red, with seven
teen broad black bands bordered with yell
low. The harlequin Is found from Viz
ginia to Arkansas, while four other spe-
cies inhabit Florida and Texas. They
spend most OF their time under ground,
often being turned up by field workers,
and seem 10 have a fondness for sweet
potato patches.
The blacksnake Bascanion constrictor)
Is Of a beautiful steel-blue color. 1t is
wild and untamable, and particularly bold
during the breeding season-yery often
going out Of its way TO attack passers-
by, and will sometimes chase an intruder |
for quite distance. The black snake Is
powerful foe OF the RATHER, who, being |
OF q sluggish disposition, is easily over |
come and squeezed to death. The snake |
is a great climber. and preys upon birds |
in their nests, seeming 10 prefer the cat |
bird and redwing, often penetrating thick |
cts in search Of them This reptile is an |
inhabitant OF the region east OF the Rocky |
Mountains, where IT is very familiar |
form, always in districts where there Is |
water
The coachwhip CBascanion fagelllformis) |
is a long. slender form OF the Gulf States, |
which has been vested with remarkable !
powers by the Indians on account Of its |
rapid movements, and by them has been
made the subject Of many legends, which |
are still believed by some particularly the |
negroes, VINO assert that the snake has |
the power Of cutting its antagonist n |
twain, and can take its tail into It's |
mouth and roll along the ground like a
hoop There is story current among |
the negroes that little boy who was
playing in a field one day was attacked |
by one of these snakes, which dashed his |
limbs Just above the ankles, entirely cut
ting off both feet. This is, OF course, !
myth. The species inhabits the Southern |
States as far west as the Mississippi |
river.
The Ophibolus triangulus. or milksnake, |
is found from Canada TO Virginia. 1t also
bears the name OF thunder and lightning |
snake chicken snake, and house snake, the
latter as 1t often frequents cellars and
outhouses, whore It preys upon mice and
other small mall ys1mn b aaS f feeds shak gp0s
very graceful in it's movements, and
reaches O. length Of four feet It's dispo-
sition is exceedingly pugnacious, which
trait IL exhibits when very young.
A more southern species and nearly re-
lated TO the milksnake is Ophibous getu-
lus. or chainsnake. This, like most OF
the southern snakes, is a very beautiful
reptile. being OF an intense black. orna-
mented by series OF narrow white rings
arranged one after another, in the form
Of a chain, whence It's name The negroes
hold IT in high respect, calling 1t the king
Of snakes, from the fact that IL is the
deadly foe Of the rattlesnake. The chain
snake lives on lizards and small birds,
as well as weaker members of its own
species. The hognose or blowing adder
IS a large unsightly snake, found I'm the
eastern United States but IT is perfectly
spending most Of its time bask-
ing In the sun. When one meets IT IL
does not try to escape, but fiattens out
It's head and body and seems all ready
70 strike. This II rarely does, but should
L strike IL can do no harm, being nom
poisonous.
A very active but a very timid snake
S the pine or bullsnake. deriving its
name from its wonderful believing note,
much like that OF a bull. produced by fill-
ng its body with air, which it noisily ex
)els. This ranges east of the Mississippi
liver and south of the Ohio. IL burrows
loles in the ground, into which 1t rapidly
etreats when approached. and emits a
'ery sickening odor, thought to be a
iort of defence. The odor is so sicken-
ng that one approaching the snake is
'ery apt to stop for moment 10 find
tut what it is, thus giving the snake
ime TO retreat.
The watersnake foun4 in the Eastern
United States is most harmless, in
offensive creature, found almost always I'm
meadows near pools and streams. II Is
,ften seen around water courses hanging
rom the branches OF trees over the
streams, into which il rapidly drops when
approached. a watersnake having thus
AIKEN to a stream. was observed to swim
quite long distance, keeping it's head
veil out of water. when II opened it's
mouth and number Of little watersnakes
an into IT,
very beautiful snake is the green
.eptophis aestivus, which is very COM
non I'm the South. 10 is of a brilliant
,reen color. and a perfect mimic OF
surprising one by starting up
rom among the leaves Of vine and dart
ng away. IL has a habit Of coiling in
'irds' nests, but is perfectly harmless,