The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-09-02


 inclsive blow as he passes over. touches the ground immediately beyond his vic tim. runs two quick steps, taking the hedge in his stride, again to rise in the air and alght upon the first bush in ms flight. The whole attack has been so sudden and surprising that the cry or the bird and the angry buzz Of the stricken snake seem fin no way connect ed with the runner, who, but for his change of position, from one side Of the battlefield to the other, appears uncon- cerned.
 The assailant is Ieisurely, if some what clumsily, turning end for end upon his perch, so that he can eontem- plate the effect of the first charge. The snake, you see, is wounded and furious Iy angry. The hide is laid open on the neck or head, where the strong bill struck and the blood is visible as the vicious brute coils and uneoils spasmod- ically, uncertain from what he has to defend himself. Eventually the snake coils on the defensive, his ugly head and busy rattle occupying a position in l the center of the vibrating mass. Nothing now, you think. could strike that head without being in turn struck; yet the runner must think differently, or bear a charm, for the moment the snake is settled he utters the same harsh sound and makes another swoop toward his prey.
 Something happens, you don't know quite what; you see the bird strike, you see it touch the ground as before, you see it rise, you see the snake unwind and flash through the air, as it also strikes in retaliation; yet the bird appa- irently is self-satisfied and unhurt on it's former perch, while the snake has an- other ugly gash on its head. Is the bird quicker than the lightning blow of protect it from the deadly fangs? ! the coiled snake? Does its pIumage Some one else must answer these ques-
 tions. I only know that these conflicts all have the same outcome. It may be twice, it may be more often, the bird will follow the same tactics, the snake meanwhile buzzing fiercely, but unable to protect himself against injury, until, blinded by blood and mad from anger, l it will endeayor to get from it's exposed position to some sheltering rock or bush which may partially shield it from this enemy who strikes as he pleases. In this resolve the snake has over looked the cactus fence, with which he comes in contact before he understands [ the true meaning of the birds ingenui- ty Cactus is the same the world over; loose fragments must be handled with the utmost care, for once their barbed opinions have stuck they will remain until each stinging point is withdrawn separately. Animals in cactus coun- tries learn quickly, and cattle, being unprovided with digits, will patiently carry stickers imbedded Il tho .skn un- til they are expelled by nature rather than make an attempt to remove them by any method at their command.
 But an angry snake is different from all other animals. Once angry, 1t is bent on destruction, be 1t himself or tothers, and thus the one within the thrall of the carefully constructed hedge Hogs and Writhes. among the loose. bulbs, each of which, when once touched, is retained in the flesh until the wretched creature literally bristles from end to end with stickers. In- stinct, reason are dead. Blind with uncomfortable rage at foes that strike { in ways unknown to him, the snake vii lciously strikes his death-giving fangs Unto his own smartng body until, over- come by poison and wounds, 1t gradual lily succumbs to nature. The road-run- liner, who has sat on his perch contem- plating the snake during the foregoing scene, now descends to the inanimate body and carefully drawing the corpse Ito full length, will begin to pull out, with his bill, the cactus stickers pre- iparatory to a repast. .vl, | Another enemy to the rattler is the deer, who regards the snake as a natu- lral enemy. Nothing living is more ma l jestic than a deer as he comes along a mountain cattle trail, springing over any large powder that the more labo- rious COW has gone around. It may happen that it Is In the spring of the year and in place of a lone deer it is a herd that you behold, the leader of (which is a splendid stag, showing in all Ehis proud consciousness thar he Is the
 guardian of the more timid but equally ! graceful lawns that follow. &
 It is from a sense of danger that a Esnake chooses a barren spot ir1 which to take his siesta. Certainly it is on g
 smooth rock or in the open places worr by the traffic of men and animals that he is most often found asleep. Or is i possible that he appears to lie more of lten in these places because it is there he is more easily discovered, but I an Iinclined to think that he seeks thes, Ispots for the reason that there art
 more opportunities in such frequentet Iplaces for him to lure his victims tt ltheir fate. Other reasons for his ap Ipearance in trails or roads are that h.
 likes the dust worn by the traffic wflicl
 has passed, the loose earth making al Ieasy couch upon whhich to sleep ant
 also more orafortable road to travel
 To return to his snake-killing. W, possibly first see the stag, or, let us say
 the herd, vending down a mountain
 path or threading in between stragglin, huShns as thew mako fl,aiy onsrea IA