4 
THE GUIDE TO NATURE 
ous birds, fishes and reptiles. In the 
southeastern states there is a general 
agreement that protects the king snake 
and the indigo snake. Both are gentle 
and are desirable around the home- 
steads. The king snake is especially 
cannibalistic and is immune to the pois- 
on of our venomous snakes. If there 
are king snakes about the plantation, 
the poisonous snakes in the neighbor- 
hood will soon become fewer. 
MR. A. L. GILLAM WITH A SNAKE. 
The Reptile Study Society of Ameri- 
ca is now trying to have laws passed 
in the various states for the protection 
of certain useful and harmless snakes. 
Personally, I should feel that some- 
thing necessary is lacking if I should 
ramble through the woods, the fields 
and the mountains, and not see a single 
snake, and know that, through an ig- 
norant brutality, they had become ex- 
tinct like the dodo, the great auk and 
the passenger pigeon. Wherever the 
snakes are of benefit to us, where they 
do not intrude undesirably or menace 
unduly, they should either be let alone 
or be encouraged. 
Very truly yours, 
A. L- Gillam. 
The verdure unrolls ’neath the sunshine and 
showers, 
And o’er the green carpet come trooping 
the flowers. — Emma Peirce. 
Girls Like Snakes Better Than Boys!! 
New York City. 
To the Editor: 
Upon your request it gives me 
pleasure to commit myself in writing 
over my signature to the remark I made 
recently in the discussion of nature 
stud}’ at the meeting of the Camp Di- 
rectors’ Association of America at 
which you were a guest of honor and 
speaker on the topic of nature study. 
In an experience of over twenty years 
in lecturing on reptiles, illustrating 
with stereopticon pictures and. always, 
exhibiting and demonstrating with liv- 
ing specimens of lizards and serpents, 
I am definitely convinced that, on the 
average, women and girls are much less 
afraid of creatures clad in scales than 
we. their brothers. The greater sym- 
pathy of the maternal sex also mani- 
fests itself in the treatment of indivi- 
dual specimens, whether turtle, lizard 
or serpent ; women, once informed 
about snakes, take them into their con- 
siderate kindness just as if they were 
dogs, birds, horses or any familiar 
domestic pets. We, of the Reptile 
Study Society, are particularly desirous 
of reaching and “converting” women 
and girls because they are honest and 
have the courage of their convictions 
and will make efficient apostles of this 
phase of the humane cult-manifesting 
kindness toward snakes, instead of 
cruelly slaying them. I can cite many 
instances to prove my assertion, but 
will rest with making it. 
Sincerely and cordially yours, 
Allen S. Williams. 
December 8. I have often had great 
joy in little things. — and often little joy 
in great things. — Henry Wadsworth 
Longfellow. 
The Stream’s Legacy. 
The little winding stream flowed on and on. 
As if to seek “fresh fields and pastures 
new”; 
And when throughout its silvery length we’d 
gone, 
We marveled that the hours had been so 
few. 
Of rural beauties we had had our fill, 
’Twas like some “linked sweetness long 
drawn out”; 
The memory of which is with us still, 
To brighten duller ways we go about. 
— Emma Peirce. 
