The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-08-25

slightest degree intoxicated. linen get
hustle on you and hunt for the nearest
doctor-and the best. If bitten where
no ligature can be applied. carry out the
ether part of the treatment. The TWO
great points to be observed in carrying
out the above preliminary treatment
are Don't get drunk and don't waste
time. 1t is universally admitted now by
| specialists that when snake-bitten pa
tient RECEIVERS. after having been half
| filled with alcohol the recovery is IN
/, spite of the dosing and not because OF IT,
| In state of nature, poisonous snakes
do not seem to be generally troubled
with any very great
THEY ARE number of enemies
NATURAL Hogs, where sucn
ENEMIES. range loose, are said
to kill good many,
and the king snake is credited with an
inveterate enmity to, and love for, rattle
snakes Both of these natural decima-
tors are probably given more credit for
destruction than they actually cause and
might remark here that somewhat
extended familiarity with snakes of many
kinds and sizes has convinced me very
thoroughly that nine tenths of the anec-
dotes told about these interesting ami
mails are actually untrue, and that nine
ty-nine per cent. of the remainder are
exaggerated. Other enemies Though not
found in America) and probably by far
the most formidable of those mentioned,
are the Mongooses-small, rather weasel
like animals found in some Asiatic
countries and Africa. Kiplng writes
/ ~ thn,,
der the title of "Rikki Tiki Tavi," and
the artistic way in which a little Mon
goose can dispose of a big Cobra could
hardly be better described.
1t was formerly thought that the Mon
gooses and other animals and birds
habitually killing and
SKILL eating the poisonous
VS.. snakes possessed a
ANTIDOTE. knowledge of some
plant antidote to the
poison to which they would att once have
recourse when bitten. Later knowledge
seems to prove that superior activity and
strategy, or certain amount of protec-
ton or immunity from the worst effects,
are really the only factors of safety that
apply. The layer of fat next to the skin
of the hog, containing no blood vessels
Of much size or Importance, is a valuable
shield, while the activity and superior
tactics of the Mongoose usually result.in
an ineffective strike by the snake, whose
head is bitten through and through as the
little Mongoose jumps to the fray before
the snake can again get in his coil.
The number of rattles possessed by
Rattlesnake give no indication whatever
of the animals age.
RATTLES ARE Sometimes as many
NO INDEX as five or six new
AS TO AGE. ones are added in a
year. and, loosely
connected as they are with each other,
the set is liable to be broken and ma
jority of the rattles lost at any time.
About twenty is probably very close to
the maximum number ever found in
set, while quite large snakes often have
but few rattles.
The largest snakes found in the United
States belong to this group, the Diamond
Rattlesnake in all probability reaching
length of eight feet or over. with cir
conference, possibly, of fifteen or six
teen inches. Specimens of this size
should be collected alive, with great care
to avoid injury to the snake. The largest
skin / have seen is from Craven county,
and is seven feet two inches long without
rattles. Mr.. J. H. Hunter. Of Havelock,
gave this to the museum. OF Banded
Rattlesnakes-our commonest species-the
museum has the record skin, so far q my
experience goes. 1t was secured by Mr..
Joseph Blake, of Raleigh, from Dare
county and measures six feet without the
rattles.
One more word on the poisonous snakes.
With the exceedingly rare occurrence of
stray RATHER and
POISONOUS the almost equally
SNAKES rare cotton mouth
ARE RARE. moccasin, there is
only one poisonous
species found in this locality, viz, the
Copperhead or Highland Moccasin. All
others found near Raleigh are harmless,
including the dreaded Green Snake, Cop
perbelly, Mud Moccasin, Spreading Ad-
der. &C., &C., so that death from snake
bite is not likely to be the lot of any of
Us.
Space forbids any reference here to the
celebrated Horn Snake, Hoop Snake or
Joint Snake. Perhaps the Snake Editor
(who is also the Religious Editor has
had 'em.