The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-04

and thick necks almost as large around
as the head. The poisonous snakes of this
country are the rattle or diamond back
some call 1t, the moccasin, both the
copper mouth and the highland-they are
all of the same family; the little ground
rattle, which is much smaller than the
rattle and has no rattes, and which never
grows more than eighteen inches, and usu-
ally much less, and the elapse. The ground
rattle looks like the rattle, but II Is not
SO poisonous, due probably to the fact
that the fangs are smaller and do not
enter ones system so far, although deaths
have been known as the result of the bite
of the ground rattle.
The elapse and the ground rattle are
found only in the Southern states Now
there is the water snake with the same
markings and colOrings as the mocasin,
but lacks the peculiar shape of the head
and neck. 1t is seriously believed by many
to be a moccasin. People resort TO RENE
dies when they are bitten by the water
snake, and then fatter themselves that
they have been cured of the poison of a
moccasin. The truth is, the bite of the
water snake IS absolutely harmless I know
whereof l speak, for I have made a study
of the ques ton for years. A person bitten
by a rattle or moccasin, unless they use the
knife or have the proper remedies at hand
is almost certain of death. il has long been
a mooted question why the bite of snakes
of the South is more fatal than Of those
of the North. Professor Baird had a theO-
ry that the blood of the people of the South
was not in good condition to resist the poi-
son, hence it was more fatal in the South
Another theory urged is that the poison
GUS snakes of the South grow larger and
their fangs are longer. As the fang is in
reality a hypodermc syringe, the poison
is deposited deeper in the wound.
''The process of catching snakes in Flor
lila is an interesting one. The colored folk
lave great deal of what they call sport
but they take the best care to see that
they don't get in the way of the head of a
poisonous snake. one of them will take q
long pole with a forked head and with
string slip moose at the end. The moose is
put over the snake s head with the aid of
the pole. he then draws the moose tiy #
over the snakes head. Then the cord is
passed through the inside and bottom of 4
canvass sack, and the snakes head is pull
ed up tight to the bottom of The bag The
snake will coil himself up to get a pur-
chase to pull the cord off The hunter raises
The mouth Of the bag and twists il around
until the snake is twisted up into a bail at
the bottom. Then the bag Is tied around
close down TO the bottom of the sack, so
that when the snake extends its head il
will throw off the moose from its neck. The
snake cannot throw it's head far enough
back to strike, and you can carry him with
perfect safety with only the thickness of
the bag between you.
Eyes, sir, il is fact that am the only
person from whom the express companies
viii receive snakes for transportation 1t
is because l am so careful. 1 always pack
them securely, and there is not the slight
est danger. l want to say right here that it
is impossible to train snakes. A snake Is
the lowest order of the animal kingdom 1t
doesn't raise any top head, and oonse-
qucntly has little, If any, brains. The
snakes you see in side shows. and which
are handled by girls, are absolutely harm
less"