The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-15
A COLORADO SNAKE STORY.
How a BuIIsnake Killed "A Five-Foot
RatIer.
From Outdoor Llfe. Denver. col.

1
From outdoor Life, Denver. Col.
AS is quite natural, the human family
abhors the very thought of snakes. I'm
less accustomed TO the reptiles we loathe
them, besides entertaining a deadly fear
of the poisonous varieties. particularly
the RATHER,
In view Of the above facts. it Is not TO
! be wondered at that in severe cases OF
mental alteration caused from excessive
drink the person afflicted should first think
! of snakes, as the most abhorrent Of ami
| mails 20 his sight and touch. The snake
| however Is a much more despisod creature
than he has ever given any reason 10 be.
| lie Is harmless animal as a rule com.
mits no nuisance and only attacks his
| enemies in self-defense.
Harry Davies the Denver snake charm
err, is probably the most intimate friend OF
the rattesnake extant. His feats or
handling them have been recounted hum
dreds Of times, and, particular to note,
are actual and true. Ever since the time
when his mother accidentally caught him
| handling a coDperhead at 2 years of age
| he has shown a particular fondness for
snakes This fondness has grown with
him, untll to-day he follows il as a side
profession.
Colorado affords him q vide and pro-
life field in which to indulge his fancies
in this line, and every summer finds him
out on the table lands Of Routt county or
on the sun-baked plains seeking the dread
ed RATHER. His most faVorite haunts lie
in Routt county, where Mr. Davies has
found as many as 100 rattlers eoiled In
one bunch In a den.
AS is we'll known, the RATHER strays off
by himself at will during the summer
months, but when the first chill of autumn
Is noticed he hunts a mate, they in turn
look for other fellow creatures and before
many weeks have gone by this rounding
up has resulted I'm all the snakes in the
country being gathered In punches rang
ing in size from tenst 100. They congre-
gate for alienation in prairie dog holes,
in coyote holes, In crevices In the rocks
and In the spots affording the most shell
ter from storm.
IL has been a generally accepted idea
that the number Of rattes on a rattle
snake denotes the age-one rattle for each
year. This is partly true, as every time the
snake sheds Its hide new rattle appears
with the new dress. A snake, however. may
shed its skin more than once year. If liv-
ing In a warm place IN the winter, such as
In the milder climates or in confinement
However. they always hibernate, no mat
ter how warm the country in which they
live may be.
We were treated to. an experience the
other day which demonstrated very clear
~ the habits Of two different species Of the
snake family. Mr. Davies picked up bull
snake and affeciionately placed IT on his
breast. from which place It gradually crept
to his shoulder ana then entwined itself
about his neck. An immense RATHER, fully
five feet long lying near, cast a detected
look toward Davies and seemed to enquire
in a half Jealous mood " II, TOO, was not to
be taken up and fondled Mr. Davies there
upon lifted the old fellow upon his lap,
which, however, became quite angry when
II beheld the comfortable position occu-
pied by the bullsnake II bowed its neck
much as would rooster In a fighting at
ttude and darted forth shafts of fire from
the little black eyes. IL any man but
Davies had been in his position he would
certainly have lost oil nerve at seeing these
vcnomous reptiles grow almost green with
anger. II was evident that war had been
declared on both sides, as the bullsnake
was becoming rigid with madness.
Lowering the rattler and placing him
on the ground. the snake-charmer drew
away O few feet and deposited the bull
snake. He came nearer his foe, which
was coiled ready to strike, and began TO
circle around him He kept drawing his
loathsome length along, always keeping
his eye open for an opportunity, and SEEM
ingly bent on securing a good position
from which TO begin the attack. Al last
il came. With ell his force he landed on
the neck Of the rattler, and the latter's
bones could be heard as they were crushed