The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-11-29

NeW 1oFk Itu1eS.
 One of the interesting specialties in the work of the zoologist is that of snake catching. In no other branch Of the profession is more skill, greater cour- age and a better knowledge of the nap- its and moods of the game necessary. To locate the Jsquirmy, grewsome crea- lures, to sit patiently for nights on ,he trail of fine specimen. and to waik UP to 1t and capture it almost barehanoeo' these are things beyond most laymen.
 In the first place, no snake man ever kills A snake unless he is obliged 10. VJp in the New York Geological Park, where men SCOUT the woods m search of garter and black snakes to be fed to various cannfbal captives in the DE rep tile house. not even these common ehakes are killed when captured. The repnie man is ever on the lookout Tor an uh- usual epecimen of some sort or other an albino garter snake, for instance and to kill a snake before he has been examined closely is little short or zo- ological crime
 Garter snakes, black snakes, coach- wfip snakes, and the various species belonging to the family of racers are captured with the bare hands, exactly ae a little girl might pick up Kitten. Tn nany cases, especially when large black snakes are picked up in this way the reptiIe turns and sinks his teeth into d hand or a finger, but the bite Is not poisonous and is looked upon as an ac- citien0 which Is quite likely to happen. Hundreds of snakes have been caught throughout the woods and meadows or the park in this way, and 1t was there that the albino garter snake was caught. The reptile measured nearly two rect and in all respects was exactly similar to the ordinary garter snake excepting that it was almost creamy white' ana that it's eyes were pink, like the eyes or a white rat or a white rabbit. The snake lived and thrived in It's cage in the reptile house until it was swallowed by a black racer.
 But the catching of harmless snakes Is tame sport compared to the handling of the dangerous poisonous reptiles. And yet to the snake man it is pretty much the same whether he handles death- dealing viper or whether the reptile is of the harmless family. The expert can tell at a glance whether certain piece of woods or stony, scrubby hillside is apt to be a suitable hunting ground. The season of the year enters into the calculation; likewise the exposure" and even the time of the day. If the ground looks suitable, the hunter enters. know ing where to approach 1t in order to capture 1t without too much risk toward himself. But, as may be imagined, the work remains dangerous.
 The first indication of the presence of a rattler is the sharp, unmistakable rat tie as 1t pierces the ear almost as a switch brought across the hand on cold day leaves it's sting. The sound of the rattle is like that of a moving machine several hundred yards distant in hay field. The reptile is the fairest fighter of all living creatures never falling to give due warning of it's hostile intent. Bend iy,u nd the dangerous one may be espied. He is curled on himself like a spiral spring, his head, fiat and triangular, and fourth of his body raised out of the circles of coils and bent into the shape of horizontal s, ready to strike with lightning rapidity. The eyes glare black and cold as the viper is poised like a tense spring, alert and ready to bury It's long. needle like poison fangs and to inject the frightful poison.
 Capturing the Rattler.
 If the intruder is without striking dis tance and remains where he is, he Is in little danger, as only in the rareet cases have the snakes been known to at- tack and assume the initiative. If the hunter withdraws, gradually the viper assumes a position of repose, which 1t maintains until again threatened. But to the snake catcher the threat of the rattIer is not a serious deterrent. He knows the creature can strike only with in a radius of about two-thirds It's length. Having struck, it must recoil and aim a second time before 1t can send out it's hideous head. A six-foot stick s is all that Is necessary to catch the for midable snake.
 Pushing the end of the stick toward the reptile the hunter watches his chances The rattler is motionless, as if carved out of stone, only its beady. icy /. eyes fastened upon the end of the stick, | to await the proper moment to bite. | When that comes, there is a movement | too quick for the eye to follow, and the II long fangs are sunk into the stick, while the reptile, realizing its mistake at once, is already coiled up and again fin a fighting attitude. Before it can strike, down comes the pole, pinning the long, squirming body to the ground. and the hunter walks boldly toward the helpless one. takes 1t up close behind the head. where the poison fangs cannot reach him, and puts his captive into ! bag.
 There are other methods of catching # the rattler-for instance, when the rep tile is in it's winter quarters and leth- araic and lay But the manner described 5 is the way the professional snake catcher z secures his specimens And the manner of catching the rattle-snake is practic- ally the same as that used for all the small and medium-sized land snakes, poisonous or otherwise.
 Catching snakes in a swamp and catch E ng them on land are vastly different however. A cotton-mouth moccasin would luickly Squirm out from under a stick in-
 ended to pin it fast In the swamp mud pf It's native home. In fact, these deadly
 reptiles are among the most difficult to