Evening star., 1948-06-16
This and That
BIZ Charles E. TrdceUeU
"SPENCERvILLE, Md.

"SPENCERvILLE, Md
Dear Sir:
will you please tell this humbled, but un-
daunted gal if there is any simple way of shoo-
ing away a snake from birds nest?
II went to the rescue of nest of robins the
other day-saw five foot long snake about Is
feet up the tree.
"It obviously had swallowed at least one
young bird, and had another in its mouth.
First, I tried throwing stones at it, but
came near striking the parent robins, which
we're attacking the snake.
Then I climbed the tree hoe in hand The
snake was above me, but thought if gave
it whack with the hoe, it would fall away
from me.
II whacked.
"The snake turned dropped the robin, struck
me; dropped the hoe; and snake, bird, hoe
and all fell out of the tree at the same time.
The snake slithered away. The robin was
dead; and was more or less whole, but scared.
"One young robin remained unharmed, so my
effort was not in vain.
But isn't there an easier way?
I'VE try to maintain live and let live atti-
tude, as a rule, so when I told my scientist
husband of my tange with the snake and fall
out Of the tree, he said, Serves you right!
"A couple of weeks ago we saw deer on two
successive evenings. An old timer out here
thought we were seeing things until he him.
sell saw 1CS tracks III our SdIutu
Last year, we were able to study phoebes
that nested on our front porch. This year we
are living next door to a pair of great crested
flycatchers. They have built in a horizontal
pipe coming out of the side of an ancient
smoke house or summer kitchen.
THE lady did all the building, but Mr.. Fly
catcher supervised She used everything in
sight-dried grass, string, cellophane, feathers,
rabbit fur, apd two small snake skins. The
nest Is at eve level, and only about Is feet
from our back door,
Sincerely, r. B. NJ"
There is an easier way to handle snakes, OF
course; 1t Is to leave them alone.
Nature is large, she contains multitudes; she
kills with aplomb, serving up one creature S
dinner from the remains Of another
This is not nice in any human sense, but
then neither is warfare, with it's shattering OF
limbs, pouring Of blood on the ground, empty
brains, the dead and the dying.
Before we shudder too much at natures way
of feeding her folk, let us recall our own
slaughter houses, our chickens frying in the
pan, and poor dumb animals used for terrible
experimentation.
The snake catching robin is not pretty
sight-but 1t happens hundreds OF times Wnen
no manor woman-is around.
We do not see these slaughters and they do
not bother us at all. Perhaps it would do just
as well not to get too excited about the ones we
see
The best way to shoe away snake is to put
a bullet through him, If you have gun handy
and are o good enough shot.
The next best way is to throw something at
him.
That hoe would have been excellent.
There is no need at all to go up tree after
q snake, and of course nothing Is gained by
falling out with him tumbling after.
Even harmless blacksnake is no companion
for such an adventure.
A few sticks Of wood heaved at the creature
would do the job nicely.
The thing to do is to gain his attention,
showing him that he is attacked by a human
being
Wise In the ways of the world, he knows that
his worst enemy is man, whether armed with
gun, hoe or stone: Man, the Super-Killer.
Gosh" said the snake, when he saw Rosa
mond coming up the tree after him. this Is no
place for mel"