The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-25
MYSTERY or THE RATTLE.
A Snake Problem That Science Is Unable
to Explain.

| to Explain.
Investigation of the rattlesnake nv
American scientists in recent years has
resulted in much curious, and, in in
stances, valuable information said
/ DR.. Thomas Stockton Baker Of Johns
/ Hopkins university, but there is enc
/ important question still to be answered.
! and that is: What is the purpose of
the snakes rattle? The riddle has long
perplexed psychologists, and probably
| Will remain unsolved until the end of
time, IL they continue to search for
one solitary purpose which may be con-
sidered of such significance in the rep
| tlle's economy as to have effected the
| development of such specialized part.
| In attempting to explain the utility
to the snake Of the rattle, many philo-
| sophizing psychologists have signally
| failed, for the simple reason 1t seems
evident the rattle, instead of being rse-
| ful or advantageous to the snake, in
| most instances it is a dangerous disad-
| vantage, which has caused the extinc-
ton of the rattlers in well-inhabited
sections of our country. However, it
must be borne in mind that the rattle
| was evolved long before man appeared
| in the rattler's field, and the question
| of it's great disadvantage in the con-
| f1ict between man and snake could
| have no influence upon it's evolution,
| according to the opinion held by many
| who have puzzled over the problem. OF
course, theories are many, and one
scientist who eventually abandoned the
riddle as impossible of solution COM
| forted himself with the moral reflection
| that 1t was a providential arrangement
| to prevent injury to innocent animals
and man. But the history of evolution
| is replete with cases of animals which,
having acquired a special advantage
hoSs 0tar. &Ho kN1yS al
against them on the appearance of rev
enemies because 1T could not be altered
! to meet new conditions.
This mystery of the rattle has had
some queer effects on physiological
| literature. I remember that Professor
Ms. Shaler many years ago announc-
ed that the tail appendage of the rat
tlesnake was not to be explained On
! the doctrine of natural selection, mas
| much as it could contribute in no way
! to the advantage of the animal. But
some time after this positive decision
| he was wandering in the field, where he
mistook the rafting of a snake for the
sound made by locust, and at once
the idea was suggested to him that ii
purpose of the noise was to decoy in
sect-eating birds into the serpent's
by an imitation of the locusts buzzing.
Ihereupon he promptly wrote a treatiS
| on the rattlesnake and natural selec-
ton, in which he Incorporated the the
DRY of the rattle's serving as a food
procurer Other psychologists who
had inclined to Shaler's previous views,
made investigations on the lines Of his
new suggestion and discovered a re-
markable similarity of the rafting
sound to that produced by several spe-
| rather favorably impressed by the the
DRY of the rattle being a decoy, but
few whose Investigations also embraced
the birds learned that they did not re-
~ to any extent on their ears in search
ing for delectable grasshoppers. Be
sides, it was soon discovered that birds
are not especially esteemed by rattle
snakes as a dietary article.
Another theory which has many
supporters to-day is that the real func-
ton of the rattle is to assemble the
sexes, and many observations have
been put forward in support of it.
Some observers hold that the rattle is
used to frighten the victim or aggres-
SCR and paralyze his combative ener-
gies. But the theory most COMMONLY
accepted, perhaps, is that the sound
ing Of the rattle, instead of imperil-
ing the snake, is virtually a means of
self-protection, and is of the same prac-
teal, defensive use as the roar of the
| menaced lion. The ability of the rat
tier to defend itself does not consist in
its size, superior strength, or the DOW
er to prolong conflict, as most of it's en-
emies are far larger and stronger.
Neither does its poison act quickly
enough to assure its safety when at
tackled. but the certainty of the poison's
effect is advantageous in preventing at
tack, and is warning which, enforced
by the fierce rattle of the tail, is La
BILE in a majority of instances to be
effective, according to the calculations
of the snake.
"Dr. Stejneger of the Smithsonian in
stitute, who has devoted much study
to the poisonous snakes of this country,
says that of the many explanations of
the rattle's functions which have been
advanced by American herpetologlsts,
it seems possible to accept them all as
partially true. The rattle having been
acquired, it appears to him even proba-
Bile that the snake uses the sound for
the several purposes indicated, al
though it is difficult to specify which
one has chiefly influenced the evolution
of the part His idea is that the rat
Ting is a substitute for voice, and
he holds that it is logical to conclude
that it may be put to all the uses to
which an animal may apply it's voice.
The rattlesnake, however, is not the
only serpent which sounds an alarm,
warning or call on it's caudal append
age. Most snakes, when excited fright
ened or angered produce burning or
rustling sound by vibrating the end of
the tail among dry leaves or against
other objects, even their own bodies,
which frequently resembles the rattle
snakes noise, and many a harmless
snake has on this account been mistak-
en- for a rattler and hastily despatched
This fact has often been used as an ar
gument in support of the preventive
theory, for If the rafting is of advaat-
age to the rattlesnake in preventing at
tack by its enemies, the theorists Gun
| tend, the imitation of the noise must
also be of advantage to those serpents
which can mimic. That the copperheads
and moccasins resort to rattling with
out rattles. as it were, does not operate
against this theory of imitation AS It
is held by supporters that If it is adj
vantageous to the rattlesnake to naye
| means of preventing waste of poison
or unnecessary exposure to injury of
fangs, the imitation would be of equal