CREATURES OF MYSTERY 
113 
who ? If this were the only instance where man has been known 
to profitably apply lessons learned through observing the habits 
and practices of the lower order of animal life, then our deduc¬ 
tions might fall for want of evidence to sustain them. Such 
methods of fishing, termed “muddying,” is in vogue through¬ 
out the Deep South, particularly among negroes, who are pre¬ 
sumed to have brought a knowledge of the art with them when 
transplanted in America. 
Within the circle of our close friends was a gentleman who 
had fully resolved to unmask the diamond-back—that is, learn 
if such a thing be possible, something of the nature of the mys¬ 
terious power he wields over his prey. He had not received 
any scientific training, consequently he was of open mind on the 
subject. He had observed the common house cat, making care¬ 
ful observations of him as he stalked his prey, ordinarily some 
gentle bird about the lawn. With burning eyes which never 
blinked he would crouch low, tail swishing from side to side, 
and ofttimes with his lower jaw quivering, would approach 
to within five or six feet of the bird. The bird would fly away, 
but if there was no interference would soon return, seemingly 
fascinated. Growing bolder and bolder, he would eventually 
be taken by the sharp claws of the cat, should no one intervene 
to save the bird. Now, the gentleman of whom we write was 
the reasoning type—possessed a mind capable of following a 
line of thought through to a logical conclusion. He believed 
that the secret of the rattler’s mysterious power was to be 
found in his vibrating rattles. This, to him, corresponded with 
the swishing of the cat’s tail, and affected the victim in like 
manner. He would even venture a step farther. He did not 
believe that the serpent nor the cat possessed any superior en¬ 
dowment over man, and that if their methods were applied 
with care man could achieve the same results. Anyway, he 
meant to try. Soon an opportunity came his way. Sitting 
quietly on a low stump by the side of a log on a lonely hillside 
one day, he observed a squirrel coming along up the hill toward 
his pecan orchard. Reasoning that this was his opportunity, 
he sat motionless. The log lying in line with the course the 
squirrel was following, he hopped upon the end of it, some 
