THE OUTDOOR WORLD. 



193 



tion were the nests of ants. In one a 

 huge black female was surrounded by 

 the little ones, quite naturally sug- 

 gesting the remark, "Like a hen with 

 her chickens." 



In the greenhouse were plants of tea, 

 which caused many of the visitors to 

 confess, in surprised tone, "Why, I 

 didn't know it looked like that." The 

 Mimosa, or sensitive plant, caused even 

 greater surprised expression, "I never 

 saw a plant that acts so like an animal." 



"Yes," was the reply by the "funny" 

 man of the party, it's superior to some 

 animals ; it can "shut up" at even a 

 suggestion." 



The collie puppies danced a welcome 

 and barked a good-bye to all visitors 

 as they passed down by the running 

 yard and stopped a moment to examine 

 the white pine "forests" (in plant 

 boxes) growing from the seed. Though 

 slighted by most of the visitors, these 

 experimentations in elementary for- 

 estry attracted the close inspection of 

 an appreciative few. 



Although Arcadia has been in the 

 process of equipment and settling for 

 only a few weeks, it took each party 

 from an hour and a quarter to an hour 

 and a half to "go through," though the 

 usher of each party hurried on as ex- 

 peditiously as possible. 



Enough has been done to show the 

 possibilities and probabilities ; enough 

 was said to show the appreciation of 

 the public. 



Arcadia is a fact. The work has be- 

 gun. Its future is what you as well as 

 as we — make it. 



The new buildings of Arcadia are the 

 workmanship of The Springfield Portable 

 House Company, Springfield, Massachu- 

 setts. They are of neat design and con- 



venient arrangement. 



The neat appearance of Arcadia is 

 nincn enhanced by a firm fence of ar- 

 tistic design put up by Caleb Nash, 

 Mount Vernon, New York. 



The electric wiring of the residence 

 and entrance buildings was done in ex- 

 cellent manner bv The C. A. Williams 

 Co., of Stamford, Conn. 



The Life of a Timber Rattlesnake. 



BY C. A. CLARK, LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS. 



When rattlesnakes first make their 

 appearance in the spring, after their 

 long hibernating period in the warm 

 side of a hill or ledge, they may be 

 seen basking among the rocks during 

 the warm, sunny days. They remain 

 among the ledges near their hiberna- 

 ting den until it is time for them to 

 leave the hills and go to the swampy 

 lowland to spend midsummer. 



They mate before leaving the hills 

 and after reaching the lowlands each 

 pair locates in a favorite place where 

 they remain until it is nearly time for 

 them to enter the hills again to pass the 

 cold winter days in their den where 

 several of them hibernate together. 



The young rattlesnakes, which are 

 born during July and August and some- 

 times in the first week of September, 

 when entering the den for their first 

 winter's sleep are from seven to twelve 

 inches in length and have the button 

 and one rattle, which indicate the first 

 year. If a person should see a rattle- 

 snake answering that description in 

 the fall, he will know that the snake 

 was born the same year. 



On entering their dens all snakes are 

 very fat and go through the winter 

 without eating or drinking, living only 

 on the fat their bodies contain. 



As to the age of a rattlesnake, it is 

 difficult to tell the exact age unless it 

 was born and kept in captivity, because 

 they may grow three or sometimes four 

 rattles in a year and they also may 

 lose more than that number. As a rule 

 they grow three rattles a year after the 

 first year. They always have a new 

 rattle after each shedding of their 

 skins and they shed their skins as 

 many times a year as they grow rattles. 



Rattlesnakes hibernate in the same 

 dens and are seen in the same living 

 places for years and will remain in such 

 places until molested. 



The illustration shows the writer 

 resting in a rattlesnakes' den. This 

 feat is not so dangerous as it seems 

 because the snakes know he is there 

 and they are just as much afraid of 

 him as some people are of them ; there- 

 fore, thev will not come out of the den 

 until everything is safe and quiet. 



