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RECREA TIOJST. 



ANTIDOTE FOR SNAKE BITE. 



Greenville, Mich. 



Editor Recreation : H. T. Greene, in 

 April Recreation, wants to know of an 

 antidote for rattlesnake bite which can be 

 used by the person bitten. One evening in 

 July last I was bitten on the forefinger by 

 one of my tame rattlesnakes, which I had 

 groped for in its blanket in a careless man- 

 ner. 



In an instant I whipped out my knife, cut 

 the wound open, deeply, and then sucked 

 it hard for more than a quarter of an hour. 

 I then filled the wound with permanganate 

 of potassium, rinsed it out and refilled it. 



Then thinking I had done all I could, 

 went to bed and endeavored to forget all 

 about it. This was not easy, for my arm 

 pained me horribly. However, I got 

 through the night and went in the morning, 

 in a semidazed condition, to my employ- 

 ment. In the afternoon I had to lie down; 

 but soon got up and went to a Doctor as I 

 ought to have done long before. The ef- 

 fect of the strychnine pills he gave me was 

 marvellous, and I kept on taking them until 

 I had battled the poison down. However, 

 I felt the effects of it for a long time after- 

 ward. 



If the wound is accessible, the proper 

 thing to do is to open and suck it. Many 

 people think this dangerous, but it is not 

 so. Unless there be a wound on the lips or 

 mouth you can swallow all the rattlesnake 

 venom you like, with impunity. 



As to permanganate of potassium I al- 

 ways have it on my person. It is always in 

 the house. A tiny crystal, in a cup of the 

 filthiest water, will make it perfectly safe to 

 drink. 



I am told by those who claim to know, 

 that I shall feel the effects again in July 

 next. 



I may add I took no whiskey. 



m Percy Selous. 



SURGERY BY SQUIRRELS. 



About 17 years ago, I lived in Minne- 

 sota, where grey and black squirrels were 

 numerous. I hunted them often and well 

 remember the first occasion on which I 

 witnessed an exhibition of squirrel sur- 

 gery. I noticed a gray squirrel running 

 on the grounds, at the top of his speed, 

 while following him closely were 2 red 

 ones. They went up a tree, the gray lead- 

 ing, and the 2 others right after him. 

 When in the branches, the reds caught the 

 gray, held him for about 2 minutes and I 

 stood watching the proceedings. Finally 

 something fell to the ground. I went to 

 see what it was, and to my surprise found 

 it was a piece of the gray squirrel's flesh, 

 bitten off by the reds. When they had 

 completed their job they let him go, and 

 he seemed none the worse. This was my 

 first view of the operation; but on 2 sub- 

 sequent occasions I saw it performed in 



the same way. I have often seen red squir- 

 rels running after grays and blacks, but 

 never saw them tackle a black one. I have 

 never known them to chase the females, 

 but only the bucks. I wish readers of Rec- 

 reation, who live in a squirrel country, 

 would examine the male gray squirrels 

 they shoot, and see how many are as nature 

 made them. 



F. B., Gordon, Wis. 



Grey squirrels had not been known to 

 frequent our vicinity for many years until 

 last fall, when the scarcity f nuts on the 

 mountains drove them to the creek hills. 

 They became so plentiful that some made 

 their abode in orchards and near houses. 

 Anyone going to the Conedoguinet creek 

 could see any number of them. Their ap- 

 pearance was strange, but strangest of all 

 was the manner in which they left, — all 

 in one night. Where dozens could be seen 

 one day not one could be seen the next. 

 They stayed about a month, which was 

 long enough to get all the nuts, and then 

 moved on. 



As to red squirrels robbing birds' nests, 

 I can say nothing, as this has never been 

 brought "under my observation ; but I have 

 frequently seen them drive grey squirrels. 



While they were here my brother and 

 I often hunted the grey squirrels. We 

 would sit at the bottom of a wooded hill 

 and keep perfectly quiet. Pretty soon a 

 red squirrel would give that characteristic 

 chir-r-r and down the hill he would come. 

 Then he would stop, and getting behind 

 a log or stump he would chirp as if calling 

 someone. Shortly a grey squirrel would 

 start down the hill in the direction of the 

 sound; then the red squirrel would run for 

 him and if our guns would not stop the race 

 there would be a pretty badly scared or 

 wounded grey squirrel. 1 have frequently 

 seen this performance. The grey squirrel 

 seems to be deathly afraid of the red and 

 will run at the very sight of him. 



A. M. Bowman, Camp Hill, Pa. 





I read Mr. E. S. Billings' letter, dealing 

 with the red squirrel, and I agree with him 

 in every particular. I have seen them de- 

 stroy a robin's nest, and they make short 

 work of eggs or young birds. I have seen 

 them fight gray squirrels and come out 

 winners. Those who observe will find that 

 where reds are plenty greys are scarce. 

 Like Mr. B., I will waste a good shell on 

 a red squirrel every chance I get. 



I also read, in March Recreation, a let- 

 ter from Mr. F. L. Randall claiming the 

 blue jay should be protected. Two years 

 ago I found, within 75 yards of my house, 

 4 robins' nests, containing 18 eggs. One 

 nest was in a maple, one in a balsam and 

 2 in apple trees. One morning I heard 

 a terrible commotion among the robins 



