Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-11-29
SURFACE UPSETS
SNAKE MYTHS

The AMERICAN is i'll receipt of
copy of the interesting bulletin pub
lished by the division of zoology of
the Pennsylvania department of agri-
| culture under the direction of Prof.
II, y. Surface that has for its title
The Serpents of Pennsylvania.
There is no other group of animals
in Pennsylvania concerning which
there is so much cruelty almost uni
formly shown in a relentless and un-
just warfare as snakes, according to
State Zoologist Surface.
'Ingorance, mythology and super
stition have combined to surround
them with au atmosphere of dread, 8"
says DR.. Surface, who has made care
| ful study of the snakes of Pennsyl-
| vania. 1T is not only superstition,
but also ignorance and unnecessary
fear which have rendered it impossi-
| bic for any person TO study them care
fully
For the purpose of exploding many
popular notions about snakes, DR.. Sur
face has issued this bulletin upon the
reptiles of Pennsylvania, with IA speci
al reference to their food and econ
omic features. The bulletin states
that among the myth, fallacies or folk
lore concerning serpents current in
some parts of Pennsylvania are the
following:
Snakes sting with their tongues :;
snakes charm birds and people green
serpents are venOmous ; there is such a
creature us hoop snake. which rolls
like Il hoop: there is a horn snake,
with a venomous horn at the end of
its tail: snakes are blind once per
month and regularly during dog
days; - snakes moult or shed their
skin each month serpents can blow
about or spit poison; snakes chase and
attack people without provocation
snakes and other reptiles are Shiny
cows: when snakes are killed the tails
do not die until the sun goes down or
until it thunders kill a snake and
turn it over to bring rain; snakes
| spring or jump from the ground at
their victims; snakes strike from a
truly coiled position; when a firearm
draws its own head, and it is impossi
BILE to miss it or shoot it anywhere
but in the head; the yellow rattlers
are females and the black are mates a
snake can be made TO put out its eggs
by dropping it into fire, snakes lose
their venom by being deprived of wat
er for six days or more.
Sankes are enormously supposed to
have medicinal properties as follows
| Calls of snakes recommended for their
bite; their oil for rheumatism, bald
ness and deafness; their skin worn for
rheumatism and stiffness: snake 5
heart. oil or blood for consumption OF
other ills; its flesh to be eaten foI
blood disorders or other troubles; d
second bite of the same snake i'll the
same place to cure or cOunteract It's
first bite; the rattles of snakes as
charms other parts of snakes for var
ious cures, preventatives or charms.
DR.. Surface notes the following as
some actual though queer facts about
the Pennsylvania snakes,
| Some serpents swallow their young
for temporary protection some snakes
play "possum, or act dead as d
means of defense; some snakes lay
eggs, others bear young; fangs of ser
pents are renewed or grow in agair
after being extracted the young BLACK
snake is gray and spotted, and Otter
mistaken for the spotted adder, water
snake or cOpperhead snakes can live
year or more without food serpent!
often eat one another some species o1
snakes are beneficial as insect eater:
and others as destroyers of mice and
other obnoxious rodents, as mice anC
rats ; two-headed snakes are not un
common; snakes and other reptiles are
not "cold blooded," " but are the temp
erature of their surroundings.
DR.. Surface announces in his bullet
in, which was issued Saturday, that {
second bulletin will be issued as sooI
as he completes his Investigation OF
the stomachs of large number OF
snakes which have been sent to hi:
office the last six months. The second
bulletin will contain as much as car
be obtained from various observers
| and correspondents upon the haunt'
and habits of reptiles of Pennsyl
vania.
The second bulletin will also con.
tain tables and charts concerning theil
food and breeding habits. More mater
ial is needed to advance these studies,
and DR.. Surface asks for notes OF
written reports of observations, as well
as specimens.