Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1912-08-28
SNAKES!
FACTS ABOUT THESE MUCH.
ABUSED REPTILES.
FEW POISONOUS SPECIES IN NEW ENG.
LAND - MANY HARMLESS SNAKES
KILLED-How TO KNOW
BAD ONES.

Snakes, large or small, harmless or
otherwise, are not generally considered
either desirable or attractive. Neverthe-
less they are here to stay and there is
much that is interesting about them, ac-
cording to a writer in Country Life in
America-mucht that people ought to know
for their own benefit as well as their own
peace Of mind.
There is probably not q snake in New
England which will deliberately attack a
person without provocation. Black
snakes, or racers, have been known to
chase people, but when turned upon they
invariably fee to place of safety.
Contrary to the belief Of most people,
only two native snakes, rattlesnakes and
copperheads, are capable OF inficting Sc
rious injury to mankind even II they
would, and as the habitats of these two
are rocky, mountainous woodlands, it is
seldom that there is the slightest danger
OF harm from meeting any of our New
England snakes.
MANY HARMLESS SNAKES KILLED.
Many innocent and harmless snakes are
killed by people who do not know that
they are beneficial to the farmer. They
are killed because people hate them.
Snakes are not to blame for their shape,
neither are they "slimy" or "nasty", as
many suppose. On the contrary, their
skin is as clean and smooth as the finest
silk. When their ways, habits and tenn
peraments are known and not imagined,
as is usually the case, their hideousness
vanishes and they become objects of in
terest and curiosity.
According to persons who have made
these matters their life study, the harmless
snakes should be included among the
farmers and gardeners best friends.
There are good and sufficient reasons why
they should be protected and their null
duplication encouraged.
Every farmer knows that field mice dig
up the ground and eat the roots and grass
in his meadows, devour quantities OF corn
and grain in the field, and in severe win
tiers, when food is scarce, eat the bark Of
young fruit trees and kill them; yet that
same farmer will kill every black snake
he finds in his field, in spite of the fact
that field mice are the snakes favorite
food.
KING SNAKES LIKE MICE.
The king snake, commonly known as
''spotted ADDER, prefers rats, mice and
lizards for his bill OF fare, and, being
immune to the poisonous serpents, is the
special enemy of rattlesnakes, not only
killing them but devouring them. The
smaller snakes none OF which are injurious
to mankind, do much to hold in check the
undue increase OF insect pests by the de-
struction OF both the larvae and imagoes.
This section OF the country is favored
with a remarkably small snake population
as compared with the warmer climates.
OF the hundreds of species in America, less
than ten distinct varieties may be con-
sidered residents OF New England, and
some of these are SO rare that they are
almost unknown.
The rattlesnake is not common except in
certain localities. He is not much of a
traveller ard it is doubtful il he gets half
a mile from his den in a whole summer.
There are fourteen species in North
America, only one OF which, the banded
or timber rattlesnake, lives in New
England. Its limit of length is about four
and one half feet. This reptile is gener-
ally considered the terror of its part OF
the country. Nevertheless he is en-
titled to more respect than he receives.
His bite is deci dedly poisonous, but he is
not looking for trouble, and will never at
tack a person except in self-defence.
Like almost any living creature, he will
fight when cornered, but when ap-
preached he announces his presence with
his unmistaka BILE rattle, which tells you,
in the plainest language he is capable Of,
that he does not wish to be trodden on.
With this warning confronting you it is
considered "good form" to stand back a
little, 1t is impossible for a rattlesnake
to strike more than half its own length,
neither can it strike again until it has at
least partially recoiled. Knowing this, it
is easy to keep at perfectly safe distance.
Everyone should know how to distin-
guish instantly a poisonous snake from
harmless kinds, as the former should and
the latter should not be killed. 1t would
be difficult to imagine more conspicuous
and unmistakable mark of Identification
than the rattle of the rattlesnake - it is
both visible and audible, and speaks fol
itself. In the case of the copperhead, nc
other New England snake has coloring
like it any one knowing the color of old
and new copper will have no difficulty
in identifying it.
HOW TO KNOW BAD ONES.
An easily remembered rule for this
region Isl Every snake having rattles OF
copper colored skin mot the brown OF the
king snake) should be killed. After it if
dead, if you wish to verify your decision
look on the side of its face just in front Of
and below the eye; if it is venomoui
serpent (''pit viper" as they are called by
herpetologists) you will find the "pit"
small hole, or deep depression, between
the eye and the nostril, which is not pos
sessed by harmless snakes.