The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1910-06-29
mixes FRIENDS OF FARMER
o,v1y REPTILE is AT LAST
~ ,,p1ONED FOR ITS VALUE.
SION Slaughter of Those That
U ~.ov on Rodents. OF Economic
~ ,ortance to the Country.

pan .ince the beginning of the world
ap' o4cialg of the Bronx Park Zoo
u' ou arranging a special collec-
uodent-killing snakes which is
on "a 70 have an economic value
fAp'l .,oans of instruction to teachers
choir classes, to agriculturists,
~ - many others who have asked
III ~ officials of late about the pos
! me- wv value of serpents,
flDI5 Soro are several species of serpent
L NJ, and other parts of the world,
p tr1' nrev upon destructive rodents
Fni'n ra Of great value to the agri-
n ,L,, %iy for that reason, although
uL'4 formers are not generally prone
n' rocognize the fact.
Q iS0S s3akes which are of economic
Al an +hn destruction of gnawing an
r. - orn now being gathered under
\ l,@ Idirectiop of Curator Raymond L;
~ Of the reptile house, and
sSrnnghout the summer the special
u ITo3 will be on view, the sew
oIi'I aagos labeled with an explana-
ia "a, notice setting forth the exact
R oa,nomic value of the snake.
while this exhibition will be made
nn,onant feature the character of
ovhibits will be changed from
nv 70 time, as is the case with the
naI,or creatures displayed in the
tn n1l Park" says Curator Dit
. uOrs in the current number of the
Biological Society's bulletin.
Species Is Protected.
nnrring the present summer both
bo INJURIOUS mammals ana the rep
nos - Of economic value will embrace
iloo 70 for the greater part inhabit-
e't North America. This arrange
NO will be followed by an exhibit
inn lr Of old world species.
w IN tiers of cages beneath those
Ao1taining the rodents preyed upon,
fYrb as SQUIRRELS, rats and mice, Mr..
bitmars is now arranging the ser
fon+s which attack them.
I among the American serpents,
r. Ditmars continues, "one of the
&nost useful species is the indigo
make. or gopher snake,s a species con-
knod To the southeastern portion OF
sbis country. 1t is a handsome, CLOS
Il bIue-back reptile, with a dash OF
H. on the throat, attains a length
Ii nine feet, and prefers rodents
Byor all other prey. This fine and
RsefuI REPTILE should be protected by
Ihe state laws of South Carolina,
Georgia. Florida, Texas and Alabama,
aor several species of rat besides the
domestic species abound in those
hates. The species ranges from
Brazil northward through Central
America, Mexico, and thence into the
United States; the range in the latter
blowing the east coastal region. In
central America the valuable habits
n this notwithstanding reptile are
! hell appreciated, and the species is
protected.
Work Is Important.
I'm the western United States are
everal large and powerful serpents
belonging to the genus Pituophis.
the bull snake-also called the yell
low gopher snake-is the most wide
II distributed. 1t attains a length OF
blight feet, and is yellow in color,
with a chain of brownish dOrsal sad
Plies. 1t ranges over a great part OF
he country inhabited by the grain
Destroying group of squirrels, where,
sOgether with hawks and several
Species of the carnivorous small mann
enals, it wages constant warfare
against the small gnawing animals.
The Importance of the work per-
fOrmed by this serpent cannot be
fully appreciated without due reali-
patton of the reptiles habit of enter
Sng the deep burrows of the rodents
fnd destroying whole filters of young
n the course of a meal.
Among the serpents of marked
economic Importance inhabiting the
United States east of the Mississippi
Pnd northward into the New England
Plates is the familiar blacksnake, or
racer, which is a busy destroyer of
uice The milk snake, sometimes
gdAed the Checkered adder is OF
eFeat value to the farmer 1t never
lealS milk from the cows, and the
eaSon why it so persistently haunts
ne nelghbOrhOOd of the barn is to
Frey upon the small, injurious mann
.nS!S that collect in such places and
EAlcn constantly elude the traps of
le farmer, who chafes under the
EOnstant annoyance of finding his
s.9lh sacks being gnawed full of
noIgS and his fodder riddled by mice,
1oIeS and rats.
Reason For Exhibition.
Inc pilot blacksnake and the pine
b I"he are other economically valua-
nc reptiles Of the eastern states and
n ,1e southern part of that region.
4, hanging from central North Car
sr nua southwark we find the corn
ro ISe ana other species of the genus
si J5,oeT-the coach-whip snake-be-
En GTS d number of species of ground
n ZINES n' that prowl into the burrows
h nice and wales and destroy the
Ei, ing All of the serpents men
sa, igu VIII be represented in our
bo,,; Oh snakes rated as of eco
Pnd lIc Importance in this country,
~, moreover, all are absolutely in