Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-03
By RE NE B A c Ii E

in the midst of swamps and water-spaces. To
discover the reptiles is simply matter of care
full looking, special attention being paid to stumps
of trees and old logs; for the business custom OF
the RATHER is to hide and keep quiet until
bird or mouse comes along, and then to cap
ture it.
a short rod with moose of Irvine on the end is
the instrument of capture employed by the hunter,
Who having found snake, may proceed at leisure,
nasmuch the creature usually stands its ground,
not attempting fight. When its head has been
caught with the noose-the operator keeping out of
reach of the reptiles springa jerk renders it help
less, whereupon it is dropped into bag, held by
another man, who cuts the string, thus releasing
the rod for further use. One bag will contain
dozen or more snakes, which are made harmless for
the time being by combining them, with the aid of
tied cord in a compact bunch at the bottom of
the sack.
The timber RATHER of the northern country
is found the mountain sides where rocky crevices
afford means of escape from the hunter who on this
account is obliged to adopt method somewhat
different forked stick being employed to pin the
reptile to the ground and thus secure it while
moose is passed over its head. There are excellent
hunting grounds for rattlesnakes in Pennsylvania
and New York particularly in Sullivan County,,
and considerable numbers collected for the
market in Texas and Florida.
Moccasns taken in much the Same way the
rattlers, the only difference being that when they
found in the water a fine wire moose is used,
instead of string Wire does not float, and is invisible
in the water that the hunter, sneakng stealthily
along the bank of stream is able to slip the loop
the head of the snake without attracting its
attention.
Moccasns are quoted at from two and half
to four and a half dollars apiece in the market.
Many hunters claim that they are deadly
than the rattlesnake, and that, though their venom
does not work quickly, it is more certain in its
effects. Apparently it unites to extent the
properties of cobra and rattesnake pOsons, paralyz
ing the nerve-centers and at the time thinning
the blood SO as to cause hemorrhage through the
walls of the veins. There is little hope for
struck fairly in the leg by one of these reptiles
a kind of accident against which the hunters guard
themselves by wearing tall boots or heavy leggings.
Specializing in Snakes
DEALERSintheU United States send agentsto South
81 America and to India, who give orders to the
tves for such snakes they require. Many serpents
are bought speculation at tropical ports by
captains who help in this way to supply the market.
But, generally speaking, dangerous species not
in demand, except by geological gardens. Thus,
a comparatively small business is done in cobras
and copperleads, while it is only to fill special
orders that merchants in this line for the
delivery OF the dreaded tiger-snake and death
adder of Australia, the horned viper of Egypt, the
asp of Cleopatra the aracara of the valleys of the
OrinocO and the Amazon, the suruCucu of the
region (whose bite kills a COW in two hours), the
=" kraft of India, and the famed fer-de-lance of
Martinique.
For the supply of alligators New Orleans is the
principal center. Only small are obtained
from Florida, where nearly all of the large specimens
have been destroyed, the number of these reptiles
killed in that State since 1880 being estimated at
two and half million. But tourists armed with
rifles and shOt-guns do find easy access to the
marshes of the Mississippi, which fairly alive
with alligators. The saurians much more
valuable alive than dead the price paid for their
skins being small, and the
who make a business of
hunting them not tempted
to reckless destruction. They
- zAzzxzsA4f keep to themselves their know-
z=zxsEzEzazzs edge of the winter quarters of
ss. the animals, where they
most easily captured and find
difficulty in picking up
SeSgr~S9&$&l many little ones as are wanted