The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1905-01-02
BATTLES BETWEEN SNAKES
Fights Sometimes Waged for Hours
When Angry Reptiles Come
Together.


Snakes are comparatively rare in this
country, and, as rule, harmless. 1t is
true that there was chronicled not
! long ago the appearance OF fierce mon
ster in North Wales, with head as
large as mans hand" But that was an
exception, says London paper
Much. discussion took place recently
as to whether snakes were given to swal-
lowing their kind. When one of them
is hard pressed by it's enemies, and
there are young ones playing about, the
latter promptly crawl down their
mothers throat out of harms way.
1t is painful to witness the agony of
mother snake sometimes when, in the
furry and excitement following the
appearance of a man amongst a group of
the reptiles, the offspring of some other
snake accidentally take refuge down her
throat.
She has not the capacity to hold her
neighbor's young and her own, of course.
and when she has been filled up with
strangers, and couple of stray ones of
her own appear on the scene and cIamor
for admission, her position indeed be-
comes a trying one A
Her own offsprina is, in fdcI, often left
I'd perish, while she reluctantly saves
the lives of others which do not belong |
to her. The maternal affections of
snakes, whatever may be said of their
poisonous qualifications and biting pro-
pensities, certainly entitle them to some
consideration.
The graceful way in which a couple
Of youthful snakes will gambol together
on the grass twisting around each other
and kissing playfully and affectionately
in each others face, is a sight, once seen, (
to be long remembered.
The sight is, of course. a somewhat
rare one, for as soon as the intruder is
observed the buck snake Immediately
abandons his love-making, and makes
in the direction of the stranger with all
the sayagery of his nature displayed in
his flashing little eyes and his fiercely
protruding fangs.
The traveller requires a good nerve
and long stick when he is attacked in
this way The reptile is desperately in /
earnest. and no thought Of injury to his
body, or even death, will deter him from (
his purpose OF resenting the intrusion I
upon the sacredness of his wooing.
If the male snake should happen to be
killed. in the encounter, as is very often +
the case. the female will approach the .
dead body Of her mate quite regardless
Of the presence of his destroyer, and pro- /
ceed to fawn upon the remains. and in a Z
general way ostentatiously bemoan the 4
fate of her comrade All of which goes /
TO prove that the snake is not such bad 1
creature as she is painted
There seem to be various develop
ments Of the bump of comhativeness (
among the Australian snakes. Some are I
arrant towards; others assume belli- I
cose attitude upon any and every occa- 7
sion. The tiger" species is most given ]
to fighting
The traveller in the bush often comes
across two tigers" pegging away at
each other for dear life.
They are invariably so taken up with
the quarrel that they may be openly ap-
preached and captured or killed at the
intruder's pleasure.
Sometimes the TWO belligerents will I
fasten on to each others tail, and re-
tain the grip with all the tenacity of
bulldog hanging on to another's hind +
leg.
I have often caught them locked to-
gether in this fashion. and have known i
them to remain in that position for sew
eral days at time. When they show
any sign Of relaxing. all that You have
to do is to give one Of them a smart
pinch.
He Immediately blames It upon his
enemy. and redoubIes his grip upon the
tail
The other. feeling the extra pressure
suddenly put upon his tail. retaliates
promptly in a similar manner, and thus
the silent and deadly battle goes on.