FIGHT BETWEEN A SQUIRREL AND A SNAKE.

Dunstan Times, Issue 704, 15 October 1875, Page 4

FIGHT BETWEEN A SQUIRREL AND A SNAKE.

Tho Cincinnati Enquirer of May i, says ;—A recent ignominious defeat of a ferocious young lioness by a humble and ugly donkey, in our Zoological Garden, has a curious parallel in the result of a deadly combat on Wednesday evening between a largo diamond rattlesnake and a little squirrel, in a snake exhibition, at 522 Vine street. The snake was one of the largest of its species, six and a half feet in length, and having been without food for months, was inclined to act on the offensive; tho squirrel was inexperienced in serpent warfai’o, but wonderfully plucky. When tho squirrel had been placed in the cage, the slimy shining monster immediately sprang his rattle and coiled to strike, while the squirrel, having taken a good look all round the cage, and found escape impossible, picpared himself for tho worst, watching his glittering enemy with fierce resolution. The spectacle became in

tereating to the spectators, for the deadly ophidian was contending with a far higher form of life, a finer organism, a more intelligent being than tho helpless creatures which ordinarily supnlied him with food. Snake and squirrel alike poised themselves for the spring, the tail of the former vi. hrating so rapidly as to become almost invisible, and emitting a sound like brazen clock-work : the tail of the latter trembling slightly, very slightly, with the tension of the squirrel’s muscles. Suddenly a sickly gleam of livid white shot across the cage, and struck tho squirrel upon the neck, once, twice, with the rapidity of an electric flash. The spectators ceased to laugh and whisper—the sight was too horrible. But tho brave little squirrel did not shrink or drop. He sprang forward to meet his terrible foe, and caught tho writhing tail between his keen teeth. There was a cracking sound like the crushing of chicken hones, a hideous, shrill hiss, an agonised wriggle through tire long, speckled body, and the next instant the squirrel was wrapped in the coils of the serpent, while the fragmelrts of the bony rattles fell on the floor of the cage crushed into tiny shivers But the squirrel still showed no fear, although the many-colored folds tightened about him, and the awful triangular head approached with wide open jaws and . needle shaped fangs, and eyes in which the yellow iris seemed transformed to flame. There was ancther sickly flash of white, as the livid respent-belly turned upward with the effort of the last venomous stroke. The faugs never reached the squirrel. He caught the speckled neck between his keen teeth, an inch below the deadly head with its horrible eyes, and the horrible eyes started out under the pressure. There was another cracking sound, another series of ghastly convulsions, and the horrible fanged month opened for the last time. The squirrel shook the reptile between his strong jaws until the clammy coils dropped from about him ; and then flung the whole mass from him. It writhed once or twice, half coiled, and lay still. It was dead. The squirrel immediately after became very sick, and dropped into a state of apparent coma ; thus giving the impression that it was dead. But it rev ved a little yesterday, and may possibly recover. Certainly every care should be taken of it; for a braver fight has never been made by so helpless an animal against so deadly an enemy. The snake will be stuffed.