CREATURES OF MYSTERY 
105 
to the other members of the party. As they moved about in 
disorder, changing positions from time to time, others would 
cross his line of vision, but without loss of time he would shift 
to another position that he might have an unobstructed view 
of the one who had so enraged him—keeping his piercing 
glare leveled upon him at all times. Under such circumstances 
the member of this party in question displayed visible evidence 
that he was, in some manner or other, weakening, and to em¬ 
ploy his own words spoken to his companions, he plead, “Kill 
that thing—I’m feeling funny.” He insisted thereafter that 
he was in the act of succumbing to a peculiar weakness. 
This one observation stands apart from all others coming 
to our attention during all the years we have devoted to a 
study of the wild habits and mysterious powers of the diamond- 
back. It might be added by way of parentheses that it has been 
our privilege to personally question 95 per cent of those to 
whom w*e are indebted for the subject-matter contained in this 
volume. 
This occurred during harvest time. Our informant was 
engaged gathering corn when he chanced to come upon one 
directly in the path of the mule drawing his partially loaded 
wagon. Stopping his mule he called to a darkey on the farther 
side of the large field to hasten over and help kill the reptile. 
He had an unobstructed view of the reptile, since he was in a 
clean spot amidst the peavines and crab-grass. Fearing that 
the rattler would slide away into the dense growth which was 
close at hand, he kept a keen eye upon him while the darkey 
hastened to the scene. Several minutes were required to span 
the intervening distance. When the darkey arrived our in¬ 
formant had a rather unusual experience to relate. During the 
last minute or two he kept watch over him, the rattler changed 
color in rapid succession until he had completely exhausted the 
colors of the rainbow. 
In vain we endeavored to plant the thought in the mind of 
this highly respected gentleman that the serpent was not, in 
reality, changing colors, but that he WAS beginning to bring 
about a confusion of his eyes, but he would not have it that 
way, insisting and repeating from time to time that his eye¬ 
sight was good. 
