Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1905-10-04
TO CATCH A RATHER
SIMPLY sTooP AND PICK H.M UP
WITH YOUR HANDS.

] ~ INV Ssso@c ~ NchAcNs Lay Omc Hand
over IL and the other I rsier IL. and
It WIN Not Move 90 Get Away.
some Fsets About the Reptiles.
Here are some facts about snakes
given by young man who has studied
them since he was ten years old:
The best way to catch snake is to
simply stoop down and pick IL IN. as
YOU would toad or n turtle. Some
times with RATHER IL IS as well TO
put a stick on his head until you get
your hand on him. IL the snake Is
coiled. simply lay one hand over IL and
the other under 1t, and the snake will
not move TO get away
There is a surer cure for snake bite
than any brand OF whisky. 1t is strych-
MIA sulphate. nitroglycerin and potas-
stun pcrmanganate, which may be
carried in tablet form and must be dis
solved In water and injected hypo-
dermically.
This young naturalist was without
his antidote the first time he was bitten
by RATHER. 1t was on the Moiave
desert, and he was prowling around
among some old prospect holes. Stoop-
Ing down 20 pick up a piece OF copper
ore lying at the mouth OF hole. no
disturbed big RATHER. and IL struck
/ him. He placed ligatures on his hand
and arm and started for camp. At the
first camp he got n razor and bled his
finger as well as he could. but Il was
nine hours before he could yet TO his
medicine. The next day his whole side
was numb and stiff. and 1t was three
weeks before he entirely recovered
from the effects OF the poison. He had
not neglected, however, TO catch the
snake, and this became his special pet.
The lesson he learned was that n
quick movement I'm front OF a rattler's
eyes is a most dangerous proceeding
and Il will make snake strike quick
er than anything else. In handling
strange rattesnakes he Is always a lit
tie careful and usually draws them
into his hand over his coat sleeve. 4
caressing little pat on the head seems
TO have the same effect on snakes as
on other animals
After putting n RATHER on the floor
OF his room and teasing Il. TO make II
coll and strike. this snake trainer pick
CT It up I'm his hand. patted its head
and then pried open the big mouth
with nail to show It's fangs. seven
on each side. In different stages Of
development. from one like pin
point 10 one the size OF birds claw.
The large fang Is likely TO drop out
ut least once 4 year. but If injured ii
may be replaced three or four times
n year.
There IS about the same danger
from the bite Of a nonvenomous snake
as from the bite Of n dog or a cat. 1t
may or may not be serious. All de-
ponds upon whether a poisonous germ
Is transmitted and upon the condition
OF the blood Of the person bitten.
Baby rattlers are fitted from the be-
ginning with fangs and sacs OF poison
and are ready for business. but they
have only little button on their tails
where the rattles are TO come later.
In the matter of food snakes vary.
They cannot be treated TO cold scraps
OF all kinds. In fact. most OF them
are rather particular about having
their food served alive. II they are
very hungry they may take something
freshly killed. but they vastly prefer
TO do their own killing.
Gopher snakes live principally on
rodents. with birds and occasionally
birds eggs as dellcacies. Rattlers
also prefer rodents Water snakes
have Il weakness for frogs. The corral
snake. which is very common in the
southwest, is quite n general eater.
BE takes birds eggs. lizards, horned
toads, gophers, rats and frogs. He Is
cannibal too. \ corral snake was
once seen 10 devour n racer eighteen
inches longer than himself He did
not eat again for some time.
Constructing snakes squeeze their
victims until they can no longer resist.
Niperine snakes strike and poison their
prey. Water snakes start right In on
n frog while It Is alive.
a snakes teeth are fine and sharp
and numerous. They look like fine fish
bones, all curved backward. The I'M
der jawbOne IS divided in the middle.
and the food Is worked In with an al
ternating movement Of the lower law.
aided by a forward and back move
ment OF the upper jaw with its row OF
hooked teeth. With such teeth II would
seem quite impossible for snake TO
disgorge, yet this young man made one
give up bird which had been partly
swallowed and stuck fast by its beak
having gone through the snakes body.
y snakes digestive organs may be
slow, but they are very sure. Teeth,
skin, hair and every part of the prey IS
digested. The hard, flinty teeth of
rat viii be found, if the snake is dis
sected within week, to be soft enough
TO crush in the fingers.
Snakes only care to eat once In three
or four months, though they drink
much water. Through the winter they
hibernate in captivity as when free.
Occasionally they may be reused and
VIII possibly eat something. but they
are very sluggish.
Constructing snakes have a powerful
grip, but IT can be lo0sened instantly
by unwinding from the head or tall
New York Herald.