NATURE STUDY IN SCHOOLS. 14'J 



ADVENTURES OF THREE YOUNG NATURALISTS. 



BY 



U. R. Wild. 



CHAPTER I. 



The Rattle Snake. 



"Don't shoot, Harry, don't do it, wait until I cut a long pole! 



That is too bad, why didn't you wait ? I could have killed him just 

 as well with a long stick, and then the Professor could have had him to 

 dissect." 



" I couldn't help it, Paul, I was so excited, it is the first rattle snake 



I ever saw and it has been the height of my ambition to shoot a big rattle 

 snake, and besides I don't believe I have injured the specimen much." 



" You've blown a big hole right through him," said Paul, going up 

 to the huge reptile and examining it. 



" Well now the animal is good for nothing. I may as well take off 

 the rattles," said Harry, and taking out his knife he proceeded to remove 

 them. 



" I believe that is all you wanted any way," said Paul, " and you know 

 if the specimen was uninjured, the Professor would not have liked it if you 

 took the rattles. Of course I should like to show the rattles of a big snake 

 like this, fifteen of them, I declare ! 



" The boys up in Hubtown will open their eyes when they see this. 

 You know you Avould like to own it." 



" I should much rather have seen the Professor make the dissection of 

 the animal and have heard him explain the internal structure," quietly an- 

 swered his companion. 



The above recorded conversation took place between two boys sixteen 

 and seventeen years of age, who were standing in the Pine Woods in one 

 of the wildest portions of Dade County, Southern Florida. 



They formed two of a party of three boys who had come to Florida in 

 company with Professor Hall who taught natural history in a northern col- 

 lege. 



"What have you here? " exclaimed a pleasant voice, and a gentleman, 

 accompanied by a stout, but jolly looking boy of fifteen, came around a clump 

 of saw palmettos which had hitherto hidden them from view. 



" A diamond rattle snake ! just what I have been trying to get for a 

 long time ; but where are the rattles, and what a pity you have completely 

 spoiled it. Why didn't you cut a pole there yonder on the edge of the ham- 

 mock and kill it in that way?" 



