The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-01-23
RATTLERS BEING ROUTED.
The Deadly Reptiles Of the SOUTH
western Country Are Rapidly
Becoming Extinct.

seem doomed to extinction. Not only
do the human beings living in those re-
gions wage a relentless warfare upon
the venomous reptiles, but enemies of
their own kin and birds of the air prey
upon them both night and day, so that
the lot of the RATHER is far from a
happy one. The places that once re-
sounded to his blood-curdling rattle
now know him no more, and only in
isolated spots is he found in any con-
siderab bic numbers.
To the advance of civilization and the
unremitting warfare of the road run
ner and the king snake may be attrib-
uted the determination of the rattler.
Wherever irrigation has found its way
the rattlesnake has been driven to
higher ground, and there the pros
pector and miner have slain him when
ever and wherever found. The road
runner, that long-legged, feathered
warrior, the fighting cock of the des-
ert, has done his part, and has done it
well, says the Chicago Chronicle.
Much resembling, but more lightly
constructed than the fighting cock, the
road runner is one of the most dreaded
enemies of the RATHER. In fact, so
great are his snake-killing proclivities
that heavy penalties are provided by
the territorial statutes as protection
to him from the gun of the hunter.
Apparently immune to the venom in
the'poison sac of the RATHER. the road
runner attacks the largest snake with
impunity. and was never known to lose
fight. Frequently, indeed. the road
runner has been known to battle with
and Kill pair of large diamond rat
tiers whose total weight was five times
that of his own.
Not so common an enemy to the rat
tlesnake, but no less deadly is the king
snake, large species of the bull snake
family. Rarely seen in the lower coun-
tries. but often found in the northern
forests and higher mountains. the king
snake wages constant warfare on the
RATHER, and when his great. 1.-THE form
coils around the body of the rattle
snake the life of the latter is matter
of only few seconds.
Herbert Housland. a prospector.
had an experience with a RATHER. n
king snake and a road runner a few
days ago which he will not soon for
get. He was With a party in the
bradshaw mountains, south of Pres
colt, and was guarding camp for the
day. He had lain down to sleep. when
he was suddenly aroused to find n
great rattlesnake coiled upon his
breast.
81 almost suffocated from fearing
to breathe lest | should be bitten. Z"
he said. The snake was greatly ex-
cited, and in a minute | saw the
cause. A king snake was irving to
excite the rattler to combat. and nv
person was the chosen Battle-Ground.
The king snake had probably forced
the RATHER to refuge upon my body,
and. following up his aggressive tao
tics, was running in a circle around
the rattler very rapidly. He crossed
my body from left to right and nv
thighs from right to left and with
in less than a foot of the RATHER S
body.
"The velocity of the snake was most
wonderful. 1t seemed to be one con-
tinuous ring, and part of the time [
could seemingly see three or four
rings at once. | made a slight move
ment with my right foot. which at
tracted the rattlc~'s attention for an
instant. and that was fatal to him.
At that one false movement of his
eyes the king snake darted in and
seized the rattler by the throat close
up to his head and began instantly
to coil around his victim.
"They rolled off me in their death
struggle and became one tangled
mass for ten minutes, when the rat
tiers sounds died away gradually.
While | lay exhausted from my fright
a road runner darted out of a bush.
and, grabbing the two snakes in his
beak, began to drag them awsy. The
weight was too great, but he killed
the king snake by a blow from his
long bill and ran away as | arose.
! threw the two reptiles into the
bushes and there the bird and his
mate devoured them"