The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1915-06-04
SNAKES ARE VALUABLE
AS FRIENDS SAYS EXPERT
numerous in Fairmont Park.

/ numerous in Fairmont Park.
Their nearest relatives, the water
] snakes, genus tropidonotus, so giee
! fully stoned by the country boy, are
very numerous, and are found in large
numbers summing themselves along
the banks of creeks and ponds. They
are nearly always dark brown in color,
with transverse markings They feed
on frogs and fish and show wonderful
| dexterity in capturing their quarry.
| The large brown water snake, tropi-
donotus taxispiotus, grows to great
size, and is much confused with the
poisonous moccasin, ancistorodon pis-
civorus, owing partly 10 the fact that
it is found basking on the same logs
with the deadly "cottonmouth."
The colubers or rat snakes are all
powerful constructors, and of the
greatest economic value, feeding en-
tirely on warm.bloOded animals. They
are large and handsome snakes, the
pilot or mountain black snake, colu-
ber obsoletus, being typical exam
pie. This variety is supposed to go
as an advance guard of the dreaded
rattlesnake and lead it to safety, which
is as ridiculous and fallacious as the
oft-repeated tale of snakes milking
COWS or swallowing their young in
time of danger. They are often found
in the same retreats as the rattlers,
which no doubt gave birth to this
myth.
The common black snake or racer,
zamenis constructor, is not a con
stricting species, but holds its prey
TO the ground with the body, while the
engulfing process is accomplished. To
see these black meteors dart away
over rough ground with express speed
is a startling sight, and one must be
quick indeed to capture them. Corn
cred, they fight viciously, but the need
le-like teeth are incapable of inflict-
ing anything but the most superficial
wounds. These snakes, as well as all
the colubers, are ovporous, the young
being Matched from eggs.
To strip the snake subject of its
erroneous ideas, and TO lay aside fool
ish and unwarranted prejudice, re.
quires but little investigation, and
once this is done fascinating and
interesting field of study is unfolded
, before the student of nature and keen
: observer.
:. Remember that snakes are never
, Shiny and that even the poisonous new
err bite, except in self-defense Bites
by rattlesnakes or copperheads ever
where these reptiles are numerous, are
- Middle states, if properly treated, o
no great danger, the large, dangerous
snakes being confined to the fal
Southern region of the United States
Raymond l.. Ditmars, curator of rep
y tiles of the New York Geological So
ciety, to whose most comprehensive
:, book ] refer all interested in the sub
ject, recently told the writer tha
there are quantities of rattlesnakes OF
his own place which he does not al
low killed, considering their rodent
destroying value greater than thei
danger.
rattler's age cannot be told b,
the number of buttons on its rattle al
they get an additional segment will
hnb eIy Ia,
from three to five times annually, ant
the rattle is continually subject t,
loss of all or part. They also she'
- the functional fangs at short inter
walls. new fangs taking their place II
therefore, does not render the anima
innocuous to remove the fangs. as
- unless the bone is injured, the snak
is soon as dangerous as before.
> There are many so-called antidote
for snake venom, but none of then
y has any merit.
If an accident occurs with either
rattlesnake or copperhead, immediate
u and heroic treatment must be resort
= ed to to prevent serious 'consequenc
, es. A ligaure should at once be mad
-, above the punctures to prevent tn
- venom from entering the circulation
and the wound deeply incised with
= sharp instrument to promote a fire.
blow Of blood 1t should be then wash
= with a powerful solution of permar
ganate of potash, which will neutraliz
. all the poison with which it comes i
" contact
If these instructions are carrie
= out and the case receives proper met
- ical treatment the danger of fatal
y" ty is very slight. Whisky or brand
are valuable as stimulant, If give