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I Remember When . .
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The Big Blue Racer And The Adder |
| Were you ever chased by a Blue Racer Snake?
Well, I have been. I was in the cotton patch when the cotton plants were
about knee high. I looked back and saw this dude headed my direction and
fast. I shifted gears and the race was on. It was a couple of rows over
and behind me. I could see it's head and part of it's body above the
cotton. I found out that they can absolutely glide along at a most rapid
pace with the greatest of ease. But not as fast as a scared kid can run,
because it never caught me. I've heard that if one will stop and start
chasing after them, they will turn tail and go the other way. I've never
had that kind of nerve. What if I decided to become the chaser and it
didn't know the game plan and refused to be the chasee? Huh uh! Of course
these snakes are not poisonous. They are constrictors and not really
dangerous. I wasn't inclined to find out. Now the Spreading Adder [or puff adder] is a totally different critter. It's a very ordinary looking little snake until it feels threatened. When cornered, they will puff up and spread their heads like a Cobra This is supposed to make them appear much larger and more dangerous. I have encountered this kind of snake several times. They can scare the dickens out of a kid. If you pester them, they will strike viciously, but will never hit the target. If all this doesn't frighten one away, they will just roll over and play dead. If they're turned upright, they will immediately flip back over, as if to say, "hey man you're lookin' at a dead snake. Can't you tell a dead snake when you see one"? At my first encounter, I was frightened, but never after that. Harry Shumard---class of '43 |