Bisbee daily review., 1909-06-12
YOUNG HID BY SNAKES.

Not only garter snakes, but blue racers and rattlers as well swallow their young at the approach of daa- ger, according to the latest testimony on the snake mother" controversy recently begun on the Wide Awake club page of the Daily News. From this Saturday department the discus sion was carried into the news col umns of the paper. scientific books figuring against eyewitnesses. Among other Cy De Vry, head animal keeper at Lincoln Park, testified that he had seen little garter snakes run into their mothers mouth for protection when seeming danger drew near. Ad- ditional testimony has been received in two letters.
 The first is from Rev R. w. Thorne, pastor of the Baptist church, Chalmers, Ind, who writes:
 I was much interested in reading the snake story in your paper. l am surprised to know that men of science will deny the fact of mother snakes swallowing their wound, and also to find that those who have witnessed it have found none but the garter snake in the act. I once saw a large | blue racer swallow a. number of little Snakes-about a dczen. l would guess and then make her way across the field as fast as she could go. I have known a number of persons who have witnessed the same thing"
 The other letter Is from William F.. Hoke. a real estate dealer of Odell. Ill. He says.
 2 Seeing your discussion in regard to snakes swallowing their young, desire to say that when a boy herd ing cattle on the Illinois prairies. often watched snakes of arious kinds and saw the common garter snake secrete her young in her throat. as well as the rattlesnake. Afer killing the mother I have examined both garter and rattlers and discovered in all cases the young just inside of the mouth. apparently in pouch in the neck, but never found to exceed three ia any species.
 | Once I came across a large rat tier, and, after watching her for some time. l noticed her neck was unasuai
 ly large for snake of that species
 50 I concluded to watch her. Sht
 eoiled ready to strike and I waited at respectable distance and watched
 her closely. It was not long before l saw one little head rrotruding iron the side of her mouth. just back o
 her fangs. then in a short time iron the other side of the mouth another small hear was visible, but at a warn
 ing given with the mothers rattl, they at once vanished and sooi
 killed the mother. n.doing so l uil
 covered two more youngsters folde,
 nicely in her coils-in all five youl, , ones and ore old one. This 1 consid cred a good days work in killing rat
 tiers. But afterward l at one strok' : rid our section of this dangerou'
 snake.
 Late, in October. when the night began to get frosty. l ran across | !, number of them in one particular lo
 cality, so kept my herd away iron there and inestigated each day unti . I was convinced that the rattler
 were congregating fin that neighbor hood Not being able to find thei : quarters, l gave up the search unti
 early next spring. Then 1 set fire t the prairie and every day when ou with my herd I took observations was rewarded about April 20 by sec . ing great coil Of rattle snakes oi i, a small knolI-co many 1 was afrai,
 to attempt to kill them alone Tn : next day being Sunday. I availed my , self Of the help of an elder brother
 and about noon, when the sun wa ' warmest, we visited the place wit , long. heavy sticks. We killed 2
 snakes. but mary got back into thei | r1Tfr,sEr rfa I f.t.ol
 hess to be on hand every day afte
 that In all I Killed over 80 snakes
 some having as, many as IS rattles.