Evening star., 1934-10-14
Pig and Snake

costissed From Third Page.
hair rope In the belief that snakes would not
cross II, although still persisted in, Is also
fallAcy, as recent actual tests have shown that
rattlefs crawl over the barrier without any
~Since the earliest periods OF time reptiles.
particularly snakes, have been endowed BY man
with al sorts Of mythical attributes and Pc
culiaxities. and . surprisingly large number Of
persons stil cling to these ancient beliefs" the
Biological Survey says.
vague with the passing Of years, but 1t Is NO
eay task to convince people that tales teld
about snakes are merely delusions The super
sttttous fear Of snakes IN general has become
20 firmly fixed In our minds that 1t Is almost
impossible to eradicate it.
Those who attempt to dispel stories about
snakes milking cows, or about singing snakes
armed with an extraordinary spike-like tail, Or
stories dealing with hoop snakes that take their
tails In their mouths and roll In pursuit Of .
victim with Incredible velocity, are looked upon
- contemptuous scoffers or else as lacking prac-
tical experience, or even - mentally un-
balanced"
TWO Of the most persistent and widespread
snake myths in the United States deal with
reptiles known locally as the "stinging males
and the hoop snake" Tales have long been
told h the South Of snakes that form them
selves into hoops and roll after their victim with
raoe-horse speed. The snakes are supposed 70
have horned tails. II the victim should dodge
and the snake strike . tree, It was sure TO die.
The survey says that this r clearly Impossible
because Of the anatomical peculiarities of the
vsrtebral column.
Tales Of the singing snake undoubtedly refer
10 the horned snake, native to the Carolinas.
The make exists, but Is harmless. The snake
Is bluish black with . few red stripes. The tan
tapers 10 nne point, having the appearance q
horn Or spike. but 1t is soft skin and quite in
capable Of piercing Ct stinging anything.
Another superstition exists with regard b
the glass" or "jointed" snake. It Is often
said that blow from stick will cause this
snake to disjoint. the pieces wriggltng Oh IN
every direction and coming together again II
the head part Is not captured or destroyed.
According to another version, there is one par
tcular section which Is supposed to control the
movements Of the others and II this Is destroyed
the reptile Is deprived Of the power Of reas-
sembling itself.
This, onciais say, had its origin In small.
harmless, legless lizard, which has the habit Of
dropping its tail II prodded. A short tail grows
In its place.
Examination has proved that It would b
utterly Impossible for snake to milk COW.
Belief that the breath Of the kissing, or spread
ing adder, Is poisonous ct distance Of 20 feet
also Is false. The snake is entirely harmless.
It Is not poisonous and its teeth are too shore
TO infict wound II it did strike q person. Oue
Of the peculiarities Of this snake Is to feign
death, or play 'possum." which it accomplshes
by rolling over on its back. When rolled to its
natural position again it immediately resumes
this absurd position until its tormentor dis
appears.
Many are the curious superstitions about ths
coachwhip snake. This reptile has long been .
terror to the colored population Of the South
and many are the stories that relate to Negroes
found dead In the road from being beaten to
death by the coachwhip. These stories, the sur
vey says. undoubtedly had their origin In warm
ings given to slaves to keep them from straying
away ct nights. The snake Is entirely harmless
to man.
So there remains the one snake story of sca-
entinc interest. the one that hogs are its deadly
enemy. and. unlike others. 1t has its supporters
among experienced observers Is well as doubts
IN the minds Of number OF scoffers, and this.
too. = to be put to . test and to be either e.
ploded o. substantiated. "a -,
Wool Prices Dozen
THE wool situation u none too encouraginG
! from the producers point Of view and bene-
dcial. perhaps, to the consumer. World pro-
duction Plus the carry-over indicates . greater
tons On the market have tended downward.
Finland and lamar, 6~s,rs svnnrk v,xnrniuenx3v -