In spring waole colonies of rattlesnakes end copperheads can be 
destroyed if the place where they have winterced is discoverede Here in the 
early days of March and April they emerge to lie in the sun and are so 
sluggish that they mey easily be dispatched with clubs. Later on in spring 
they spread out to the hillsides and fields in search of mice, small birds, 
and other preye Where concitions vermit, nunbers. of hogs, if given free run 
of snake-infested areas, will greatly reduce the snake population. Except 
by this method, control measures can not be applied against snakes on a2 large 
scale, and each reptile has to be dealt with individually. 
No successful apparatus for snaring snakes has ever been cevisede It 
is difficult to induce a sneke to enter a trap, for it has no fixed trails and 
lacks inquisitivenesse Some collectors have been able to capture certain kinds 
or snakes by tying a small frog by one leg to a stake in suitable surroundings. 
The sn2ke swallows the frog end is held captive until disestion dissolves the 
swolloweéd bait giving the trapper opportunity to return 2nd disvose of the snake. 
Another method is to dig pits three or more feet deep with vertical sides 
ane place several live frogs or mice in them for decoys. ch pits should not 
be used in any neighborhood where either livestock or human bdeiags are accustomed 
to trevele Frofessional collectors depend almost entircly upon a forked stick 
or 2 pair of iron tongs, 3 or 4 feet in length, to capture snakese 
A few snakes, like the blacksnake (Coluber constrictor) and chicken 
try es and barns 
in scarch of eggs or young birds. Snakes know to fced on ezgs may sometimes 
be killed by poisoned eggs. ‘The most satisfactory method of preparing the bait 
is to make a small hole in a fresh egz, and to introduce through it 2 or 3. 
medium-sized crystals of strychnine. A piece of paper should then be pastéd 
Over the hole and allowed to Gry. To prevent leaking when the poisoned egg is 
put out for the snake, care should be taken to sce that the part of the ege 
With the hole in it is placed hishest. This remcdy will prove cffective only 
in case a snake has formed the habit of raiding hen's nestse Poisoned eggs 
placed at random may never be taken and within 2 fow days become unattractive as 
bait. The promiscuous cistribvution of poisoned eggs would be very dangerous 
also, as it might cnuse the death of domestic animals, especially hogse 
Blacksnakes and chicken snakes are not very wary and appear incapadle of 
detecting "doctored egzgse'' Most of our snakes feed chiefly on living prey, and 
thus can not be destroyed by the use of poisoned brits. 
