Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1902-09-25


The Smithsonian Institution authOri-
ties say that more varieties OF poison
GUS snakes are found in Arizona than
in any other part of the United States.
The best authority on Arizona snakes
il believed to be Graham Peck, who
has been studying them for years.
mo other region in the United States
il so much OF natural breeding
ground for the rattlesnake as Is south
rrn Arizona" said he to a correspond
ent OF the New York Sun. 1.-The rocks
Of the mountains and foothills are OF
4 heavy yellow and gray color and the
soil Is so like the hues Of a RATHER that
snake can move slowly along and
hardly be perceived by person fifty
feet away. The hot. dry air and tho
warm. sandy earth and the immense
quantity Of small birds and ground
squirrels in the mountain canyons and
brush all combine to make life for rat
tlesnakcs in this region one Of rare
ease and comfort.
There are literally tens Of thou
sands Of rattlers In the sage brush and
chapparel along the edge Of southern
Arizona wastes They grow to enOr
nous size and 1t Is common to read OF
the capture of rattlesnakes five and six
feet long, with fourteen and fifteen rat
ties.
Hog nose snakes are quite plentiful
In the mountainous parts OF Arizona.
After all the talk about serpents hiss
Ing. this is the only specimen OF the
ophidian family which have ever
heard utter a sound.
MANY writer's on reptiles in America
say that thunder snakes are common
In Texas. New Mexico and Arizona.
They are really uncommon in the terri
tories. They are II prairie reptile and
are often encountered by prairie trav
elers. especially before and after thun-
derstorms.
FLASHES Of lightning and claps of
thunder, which are terrifying to bipeds
and Quadrupeds. seem to have a charm
for these members Of the ophidian
family. Whenever thunderstorm
comes up these snakes come crawling
out of holes, from behind rocks and
rotten stumps and enjoy the fun while
it lasts.
1.-THE coach whip is remarkable for
its tremendous length and surprising
speed. 1t is cream or clay colOred.
very much like the hard baked prairie
over which 1t glides, is very long and
its scales are arranged In such man
ner that they closely resemble the
plated leather Of whip
Not endowed with poison, 1t has
tremendous power Of construction. 1t
forms its body into coils which are ca
pable of crushing sheep, dogs and coy
otes.
when l was I'm Lower California in
1880 l was told by n Mexican peOn
that he had 1O-year-Old boy squeezed
to death by coach whip few years
before. The man said that on another
occasion his wife was attacked by
coach whip which threw its coils about
her quicker than she could see.
"She was too frightened to do more
than scream and fall to the ground.
when her daughter came running up
and quickly released her by merely
unwrappinS the snakes tail. Strange
way to release q victim In the coach
whip snakes grasp. for while the rep
tiles constructing powers are abnor
NAL a child may unwrap the coils by
beginning at the tail
do you believe that snakes have
the power to charm animals?"
YES, there is Il certain power to
fasclnate in snakes eyes and move
ments. saw only the other day
typical Illustration Of the power Of a
snake to fascinate.
"Ovcr in the pine woods | saw a
ground squirrel fascinated by black
gopher snake. The forked tongue dart
ed out of the snakes mouth almost as
regularly and rapidly as the needle Of
a sewing machine rises and falls. The
squirrel seemed to watch it spellbound
The snake crept slowly nearer.
when the gopher snake was within
two or three inches from the squirrel
IL gave II icuP anu thiVN thiNt tOlIS
about the squirrel. Instantly the spell
was gone The fascination or charm
there had been over the little animal
was no doubt broken the very moment
the serpent's coils We're about the
squirrel. for the animal gave three con-
vulsive. terrified chirps and realized
that its death moment had come.
Il believe implicitly that all snakes
have Il certain degree of power to fas-
cinate their victims to death. Black
snakes. gopher snakes and racers have
the power to large degree. Rattle
snakes have the most fascinating
power among all the poisonous ser
pents in the Southwest.
The indications of charming among
poisonous snakes are deceving some
times. Poisonous snakes fang their
prey once only. The poison does not
kill at once.
THE victim flutters to a branch, 1t
may be. or runs a short distance and
stops. The snake watches it, The
poison does its deadly work. and the
bird falls.
"Apv ono whO comaS m not ho vjpr