The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1905-11-28
TO CATCH A RATHER
SIMPLY sTooP AND PICK HIM Up
WITH YOUR HANDS.

III the Snake Is COiIed, Lay One Hand
Over 1t and the other Under 1t, and
IL VIII Not Move to Get Away.
Some Facts About the Reptiles.
Here are some facts about snakes
given by young man who has studied
fDem since he was ten years old:
The best way to catch snake is to
simply stoop down and pick it up, as
you would toad or a turtle Some
times with a RATHER it is as well to
put stick on his head until you get
your hand on him. If the snake is
coiled, simply lay one hand over it and
the other under it, and the snake will
not move to get away.
There Is surer cure for snake bite
than any brand of whisky. 1t is strych-
MIA sulphate, nitrOglycerin and potas-
SUM permanganate, 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 a RATHER 1t was on the Mo1ave
desert, and he was prowling around
among some old prospect holes. Stoop-
Ing down to pick up piece of copper
ore lying at the mouth of a hole, he
disturbed big RATHER, and it struck
him. He placed ligatures on his hand
and arm and started for camp. At the
first camp he got razor and bled his
finger as well as he could, but 1t was
nine hours before he could get to his
medicine. The next day his whole side
was numb and stiff, and it 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
quick movement in front Of a rattler's
eyes Is a most dangerous proceeding
and 1t will make a snake strike quick
er than anything else. In handling
strange rattlesnakes he is always lit
tie careful and usually draws them
into his hand over his coat sleeve. A
caressing little pat on the head seems
to have the same effect on snakes as
on other animals.
After putting a RATHER on the floor
Of his room and teasing it, to make 1t
coil and strike, this snake trainer pick
ed it up In his hand, patted its head
and then pried open the big mouth
with nail to show its fangs, seven
on each side, In different stages of
development, from one like a pin
point to one the size Of birds claw.
The large fang is likely to drop out
at least once a year, but If injured it
may be replaced three or four times
a year.
There Is about the same danger
from the bite of nonvenomous snake
as from the bite of a dog or cat 1t
may or may not be serious. All de-
ponds upon whether 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 saos 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
are rather particular about having
their food served alive. If 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 delicacies. Rattlers
also prefer rodents Water snakes
have weakness for frogs. The corral
snake, which Is very common in the
southwest is quite a general eater
He takes birds eggs, lizards, horned
toads, gophers, rats and frogs. He Is
a cannibal too. A corral snake was
once seen to devour 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.
Viperine snakes strike and poison their
prey. Water snakes start right in on
a frog while 1t Is alive
A snakes teeth are fine and sharp
and numerous They look like fine fish
bones, all curved backward. The un-
der jawbone is divided in the middle,
and the food is worked In with an al
ternating movement Of the lower jaw,
aided by a forward and back move
ment of the upper jaw with its row of
hooked teeth. With such teeth it would
seem quite impossible for a snake to
disgorge, yet this young man made one
give up a bird which had been partly
swallowed and stuck fast by its beak
having gone through the snakes body.
A snakes digestive organs may be
slow, but they are very sure. Teeth,
skin, hair and every part Of the prey is
digested The hard, fiinty teeth of a
rat win 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
will possibly eat something, but they
are very sluggish.
Constructing snakes have a powerful
grip, but it can be loosened instantly
by unwinding from the head or tall
New York Herald.