24 
THE GUIDE TO NATURE 
A Snake That Eats Eggs. 
We are indebted to the “Bulletin of 
the American Game Protective Asso- 
ciation” for the use of the accompany- 
ing illustration of a bull snake robbing 
the nest of a wild duck. This remark- 
able photograph was taken by .Mr. Rob- 
ert B. Rockwell. The Bulletin says: 
“Most men who have made a study 
of this question contend that snakes are 
very beneficial creatures, excepting, of 
course the few poisonous species. The 
farmer often tells you that the bull 
snake is the best rat-catcher he knows, 
and in the South the king snake holds 
the same position of esteem. How- 
ever, the photograph on the front page 
of this ‘Bulletin’ shows beyond question 
of doubt that Eve was not the only one 
who could not resist temptation.” 
When visiting a friend in Patagonia 
I was greatly astonished one day on 
going out with a gun to shoot some- 
thing followed by the dogs to find a 
black cat in their company, and to see 
her when I fired my first shot actually 
dashing off before the dogs to retrieve 
the bird! — W. H. Hudson in “The 
Book of a Naturalist.” 
BULL SNAKE EATING DUCK EGGS. 
