The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-08-21

FAMOUS AMERICAN REPTILE
WILL SOON HAVE PASSED.



In a country where a quarter Of a
century ago a rattlesaake was to h.
found under every rock and in every
hiiloek. the reptile is rapidly bscomine
rarity Win his human relative
the Apache the rattler IS disappsarlng
from Arizona and IS now found only
IN the most isolated districts To NE
advance Of civilization and the nnre-
milting warfare Of the road runner
and the king snake may be attribntad
the determination Of the RATHER
Wherever Irrigation has found its wav
the rattlesnake has been driven to
higher ground and there the prospeet-
OF and miner have slain him whenever
and wherever found The road run
ner that long-legged. feathered war
rior the fighting cock OF The desert
has done bis part and done Il we'll
Much resembling but usore lightly con
sirueted than the fighting cock the
road runner IS one Of the most dreaded
enemies Of the rattler. IN fact y
great are hts snake killing proellvities
that heavy penalties are provided bv
the territorial statutes as a protection
70 him from the gun Of the hunter.
Apparently Immune to the venom in
the poison sac Of the rattler the road
runner attacks the largest snake with
lmpunity and was never known 10 lose
fight Frequently. indeed. the road
runner has been known to battle with
and Kill a pair Of large diamond rat
tiers. whose total weight was ave
times that Of his own. Not so com
mon an enemy TO the rattlesnake. but
no less deadly, Is the king snake
large species Of the bull snake family
Rarely seen in the lower countries. but
often found IN the northern forests
and higher mountains. the king snake
wages constant warfare on the rattler
and when his great 1.-THE form coils
around the body Of the rattlesnake the
life OF the latter is a matter OF only a
few seconds Herbert Housland. a
prospector. had an experience with a
RATHER a king snake and a road run
ner a few days ago which be viii not
soon forget He was with a party n
the Bradshaw mountains. south of
Prescott. and was guarding camp for
the day He had lain down 10 sleep.
when he was suddenly aroused to find
great ratilesnake eoiled upon his
breast Il almost suffocated from
fearing 70 breathe lest ! shoald be Bit
ten, he said 'The snake was greatly
excited and In a minute saw the
cause. A king snake was trying to
excite the rattler to combat. and my
person was the chosen battle-ground
The king snake had probably forced
the rattler to refuge upon my body.
and following up his aggressive tactics
was running In a circle around the
rattler very rapidly. He crossed my
breast from left to right and my
thighs from right to left. and within
less than a foot Of the rattler's body
The velocity OF the snake was most
wonderful Il seemed TO be one con-
tlnuoHs rms. aud pert Of the time [
oenld seemingly see three OF fohr rings
at once. / made a slight movement
with right foot. which attracted the
attention for an instant. and
that was fatal to him. AZ that one
false movement Of his eyes the king
snake darted in and seized the rattier
BY the throat. close up to his head and
began instantly to coil around his vic
tim. They rolled on me In their death
struggle and became one tangled mass
Tor ten minutes when the rattlers I
sounds died away gradually. While / /
lay exhausted from my fright a road 4
runner darted out OF a bush. and grab
5ing the two snakes IN his beak. be-
gan to drag them away Thewelghtw was
100 great. but he killed the king snake
by a blow from his long bin and ran
away as | arose. threw the two rep
Iiles into the bushes and there the
bird and his mate devoured them.