The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-01-26
ST. PATRICK IS HIS MODEL,
FATHER R%ODRiGUEZ Would rim
ARIZONA or SNAKES.
Tie Has Already Killed $500 Rattlen
and Finds Pront IN H-Thlnks The
Task Can Re Achieved by Means OF the
thaparraIBird, the Snake'sNatural Foe

Task Can he Achieved by Means OF m,
thaparraiBird, the SnakesNaturaI Foe
PHOENIX. Ariz Jan. 23.-To emulate s.,
Patrick and do for his country what the
Irish saint did for Ireland-rid il Of snakes
is the desire Of the Rev. Father Pedro
Rodriguez. Indeed Father Rodriguez
would 20 even further. and not only rid
the Southwest Of lis rattlcsnakes. but also
destroy the insect life which makes life
unpleasant on the arid lands.
Fifty years q he came 10 Arizona,
and began his labors for the Church in
New Mexico, Arizona and old Mexico.
A short time later he brought his sister
and younger brother out West and es-
tablished them on n small ranch In the up
per valley OF the Yaqui River.
lie himself was stationed at Guaymas.
One day n message came to him, telling
OF the death Of his brother and sister. Tho
latter had zone TO aspiring for water, and
as she stopped a warning rattle had sounded
under her hand.
snake bit her in the cheek. She tore the
reptile loose and hurrying 10 the house
fell In a faint. Her brother reached home
TO find her dying. The following day
at the spring he, too, was bitten by a rat
tier n died.
Father Rodriguez buried the bodies
side by side, and for nearly twenty years
remained In the solitude OF a monastery.
Some ten years ago failing health obliged
him to live in the open air. Since then he
has devoted much Of his time to a scien-
tific and persistent slaughter OF snakes
and the walls OF his country home are
covered with skins and rattles.
NO, II Is not n feeling OF revenge that
urges me on in my war on the reptiles,
saws Father Pedro, but ! must In some
manner improve my. time out OF doors;
and / know Of no better way than 10 kill
snakes. Then. too, II is not an unproft-
able business. and from my snake skins
and oil ! am enabled each year to give a
snug sum 10 the Church.
Father Pedro has killed nearly 1900 rat
tlesnakcs 10 the last ten years. In all that
time he has never been bitten. Nearly
all tho snakes have been secured by his
tanned and trained road runners
The road runner, or chaparral bird, y
the hereditary enemy OF the. rattier ana
its most dangerous foe, and It Is by tho
use Of these birds, rather than his own
powers, that Father Pedro hopes 20 force
the rattlesnake 10 extinction. All through
northern Mexico and the Territories, Father
Pedro has hunted with his birds and 1t is
by securing the general tanning and use
of the chaparral birds for the purpose that
he hopes TO rid the Southwest OF snakes.
tarantulas. scorpions and centipedes
As far back as traditions OF the Indians
go the chaparrol bird has been looked
upon as a benefactor Of mankind, while
photographs have been found which indl-
cate that, in prehistoric times, he was a
familiar object. Many rude pictures IN
stone show the long-legged birds In the
act OF ~devouring snakes,
The name road runner the bird earned
by it's habit OF frequenting roadways'
perhaps better TO discern in the dust the
trails OF its victims, and it's propensity Tor
displaying it's remarkable speed TO pas
sers-by. 1t is able TO keep PACE with most
horses for a short distance. The road
runner is poorly equipped with wings.
In fact the short fippers. which axe their
place, are only valuable In accelorating ls
running powers.
Piainsmen who have seen IL al work
tell remarkable stories Of its fighting quail
ties and immunity from poison. Inc
latter theory IL true To a certain extent,
and when the marvellous quickness OF the
bird does not save u from the hghunlng-
like stroke Of the rather, 1t resorts 10 a
remedy which n gathers from the stem
OF the smaller cactus.
SO careful, though, Is the assault OF the
bird. that only rarely does the snake escape
victim, the birds attack IL from opposite
sides, and 10 fierce Is their assault thst u
l. usually a matter 81 ONLY a few moments
until one Of the birds has it, beak around
the neck Of the snake. which IL then easily
killed.
Al timee an especially alert snake u
found. and then the plan Of attack v
changed On opposite sides. and running
RAPIDLY, the birds circle their victim unth
i, h worried into a frenzied rage Then
an opportunity oferS, the bros ci'H"
in on the snake like a fWh.
The most Interesting method "mch
the road runner h. said 10 employ y ure1
when II finds a snake asleep On nearly
all the desert and grove the choyh castuh'
with burn Of small sharp spine Nheh
tb,~e needle touch bssh their harb'l
endr hold them h. and they are A. dlfl'n'
O. eHfricaic a. n-hhuuks
The ruad runner quietly gather I'm"
81 these burr and lav- Them ~ a oIye
aI,ut AL. .unk. Then r0u-ing the rnak"
the bird vltk- o. into q ilnnu- e-NlIF
which eventually tl- itz h'dN Win lH"
spine livery movement pu'r 10"
bans i du.trf end adlr u'" "us~ ui'-
tb. IinI. r. daaIr. fHf torture hfahf
gratihst HuIshs is N..fu With q nl'N
the NFHN