Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1912-08-28
slender snake, while the copperhead is
short and thick-set.
BLACK SNAKE COMMON.

short and thick-set.
BLACK SNAKE COMMON.
The blacksnake is one Of the most COM
mon, and grows to length OF ABOUT six
feet. When cornered he makes great
bluff at fighting, but is in reality coward.
This, as previously stated, is the farmers
most useful snake; it devours great num-
bers OF mice and moles. Even the bite Of
the blacksnake is perfectly harmless in
fact snake hunters consider bite from
any Of our native snakes except rattlers
and copperheads OF no more consequence
than the scratch of briar.
The racer is a variety OF blacksnake
occasionally, though very seldom, seen
here. 1t is described as being longer and
collar around its neck. 1t can travel very
fast and it has a reputation OF chasing
people who run from it. Racers are harm
less westerners, and do not belong in the
list OF New England residents.
The garter snake, commonly called
streaked or striped snake, grows from
two to three feet long, and is the most
harmless.
There are numerous species of garter
snakes, varying much in color and mark
ings, although in some respects they are
perfectly alike. They do not lay eggs, as
do some other snakes, but bring forth
their young alive, and when we consider
that single family may comprise from
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record being seventy-eight), it is not sur
prising that this variety is common.
WATER SNAKES NOT DANGEROUS.
The common water snake is an unat-
tractive individual and is always seen near
or in the water, usually lying on rocks,
logs or food trash bathing in the sun.
Below mill dam amid the roar of rush
ing water, is favorite haunt of this disa-
greeable but innocuous reptile. When
approached too closely he quickly slides
OFF into the water and disappears.
When caught-which may be done with
a wire moose on pole-these snakes put
up bold fight, striking with open mouth
in q ferocious manner. This conduct is
all bluff, however, as their bite is HARM
less. They are not to be confused with
the water moccasin which is venomous.
AS the latter is strictly southern snake,
never seen this side OF North Carolina, it
is safe to say there are none in New Eng
land.
The king snake, commonly known as
ssspotted adder" in New England, is not
an adder, but is one OF the harmless
family OF king snakes common in the
southern states, known in different Sec
tions as milk snake, house snake, chain
snake and so on. In the north it grows to
about four feet in length and is marked
with reddish brown spots. The green
snake, or grass snake, is small, harmless
creature about twenty inches long, bright
green above and yellowish white beneath.
The little brown snake is less than
foot long and perfectly harmless. Boys
frequently carry them in their pockets,
and even girls enjoy watching them wind
around their fingers, demonstrating the
words OF a writer on the subject, who
says: ssThe locomotion Of the snake is
one Of the most remarkable and beauti-
fully contrived phenomena in animal
mechanics"
''RAIR" SNAKE A MYTH.
The hair snake, the smallest of all crea-
lures bearing the name OF snake, is found
in water, and is responsible for many a
heated discussion in rural districts,
where the common belief is that it origi-
mates from horse hair. This theory is all
myth-horse- hair snakes are parasites
living inside of crickets and grasshoppers,
upon leaving which they seek the water to
lay their eggs.
Another myth has to do with the rattles
of rattlesnakes. As these shed their outer
skins from two to four times year, each
time adding a rattle, and as these fresh
rattles sometimes fall of, it is evident that
the number OF his rattles-each one repre-
senting year - is erroneous.