The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-05-18

SD
the reverse, as they are reac.- he
died and make by far the ~ 'ea-
terestlng specimens for ~,.5, =
poses. thriving well in cap;f-,, -
apparently developing a real I'D
for their keepers. The, l-ta
length of six feet.
The garter snake. gems
are our most numerous varlef,
braclng eleven well-defjp.d -
including the beautifunv-msrf e-e>
bon snake. This sroun a. IT
junction ever in the mos 49,, -
regions, being plentiful in asl
Ihey are VlvlporouS. h-rircrr -
as many as sixty living rr-re I'm
year. They feed entirely ON an
blooded prey, tadpoles and H..
ing their main diet. The var,.,@n
color is frequent III the same u
out they are easily recognized h.. -
general scheme of MARKINGS -
ing for years in captivity. thet NY,
most interesting study specjmar, ~
common variety, eutaenia slrrer.
numerous IN Paramount Park
Their nearest relatives -r4
snakes, n t~ropidonotuS. - .f.
fully stoned by the country ~.
very numerous, and are found r. -,
numbers summing themselves a1oro
banks or creeks and ponds. The az
LSoA1S "iNoS Odlk DT0N q ia g,l.~
with MARKINGS rh,
on frogs and fish and show Vor5l,fIi
dexterity in capturing their or.rr-'
The large brown water snake ,rn+;'
dOnotuS taXlSpilOtuS, grows 10 o-d-.
size, and is much confused wftb -
poisonous moccasin. ancjStor,5@n
piscivorus, owing partly to The fac,
that it is found basking or the lem.
logs with the deadly "cottonmu+b"
The or rat snakes az. an
powerful constructors. and Of rba
greatest economic value. fcedjro -,
tirely on Warm-blooded animals inv,
are large and handsome snakes tn.
pilot or black snake a..
luber obSoletus being a typical ~
ample. This variety is SUPPOSED n
go as an advance guard Of the dread.
ed rattlesnake and lead it 10 safefv
which is as ridiculous and faIlac.ols
as the oft-repeated tale Of snakes
milking COW or sWallOWiu2 tneir
young in time of danger. Tho are
often found in the am retreats -
the rattlerS, which no doubt gave birth
to this myth.
The common black snake or racer.
Zamenis constructor. is not a construct
ing species, but holds its prey to the
; ground with the body. while the ~
quilting process is accomplished. To
see THESE DldCh meteOfS cart away
: over rough ground with express speed
: is a startling sight, and one must I've
5 quick indeed to capture them. Cor
nered, they fight viciously. buj the
5 needle-llke teeth are incapable Of m
flicting anything but the most super
fetal wounds. These snakes. as Wen
: as all the colubers, are oviporoUs. ths
( young being Matched from eggs.
> To strip the snake subject Of its ~
/, roneous ideas, and to lay aside foolish
:. and unwarranted prejudice, requires
, but little investigation. and once his
{ is done a fascinating and Interesting
, field of study is unfolded before ths
t student of nature and keen observer.
Remember that snakes arr never
Shiny, and that even the poIsonols
never bite, except in self-defense.
Bites by rattlesnakes or copperheads.
even where these reptiles are numer.
= GUS, are a great rarity. and 10 me
Northern or Middle States. if properly
= treated, of no great danger, the !aree'
a dangerous snakes being confined %
Z the far Southern region Of the lnlied
y States.
a Raymond L. Ditmars. curator Il
y reptiles of the New York geological
Society, to whose most comprehensive
d book / refer all interested II The SUD
ject, recently told the writer thai
q there are quantities Of rattlesnaRfS On
e his " place which he does nol q
low killed, considering then Todfhl
e destroying value greater than 'h'.'
IS danger.
it A rattler's age canno be i"l" ~
n the number of buttons on its rafit f.
d they get an additional segmeft WY
a each shedding of the skin, ocetf1'
from three to five times %annua a
S. the rattle is continually subject r. '
Of all Or part. They also Shta
i functional fangs at short inter"
l. new fangs taking their plde'
o therefore, dOe not render the ~
~lnnocuOuS to remove the fang
Re less the bone is injured, the
soon as dangerous as before
1t There are many sO-called aIt
n for snake enom, but none @-
as has any merit.
n If an accident occurs with fi-t
as r~attlesnake or cOpperhead. lN
lg ate and, heroic treatment mus -
e. sorted to to prevent serious
g quenceS. A ~ligature should at