CREATURES OF MYSTERY 
129 
develop that some man was at the bottom of all this—well, he 
would attend to him in due season. With head reared high, he 
came charging through the open way, but Uncle Dave stood 
his ground like a well-disciplined Roman sentry. Delaying a 
well-aimed blow until he was sure that the handle would have 
the necessary reach, he pinned him to the ground with his 
potato hook. 
Employing a bit of imagination the missing links in this little 
episode can be readily supplied. Mr. Rattler had spent a hard 
winter and had emerged from his hideout all but famished. 
This was his first decent spring day for hunting. He was busy 
employing his magic upon Mr. Cotton-tail, and was all set for 
taking him in when Uncle Dave appeared upon the scene, driv¬ 
ing his quarry away. Nothing else can succeed quite as well in 
so enraging a rattler. It matters not if it be man or beast—or 
if it be by deliberate design or wholly unintentional, whoever 
commits this unforgivable crime is sure to pay with his life 
provided he comes within striking distance just at such instant. 
Treating himself to an afternoon off from his farming and 
turpentine activities, he assembled his fishing tackle and set 
out for the lakes. No sooner than he had entered the river 
swamp he was challenged by a full-grown diamond-back lying 
crosswise the cattle trail he was following. Laying his tackle 
upon the ground, he cut himself a club from a green tupelo 
gum nearby. When it became apparent that there was going 
1, 2. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7—Think your own eyes are perfectly reliable, do you? 
Then how would you like to go hunting" for the diamond-back? The prints 
on opposite page are perfect reproductions of the spot of ground upon 
which the camera was focused. Strands of grass no larger than a needle 
are plainly visible, yet a diamond-back as large as the average man’s leg, 
fully exposed to view is practically invisible. In three of the photographs 
they were sheltered by no covering grass or litter whatever. They are 
artists at camouflage. They are also perfect judges of colors, and in ad¬ 
dition their scales seem to absorb and reflect light, reflecting it in the 
exact color as when it falls upon them, thus their color blends and fuses 
with the shadows or the light about them. The camera was within three 
feet of the reptile when these exposures were made. 
8—When hot on trail of the diamond-back he takes no chances what¬ 
ever of one side-stepping him by concealing himself underneath a log 
or inside a great hollow tree as shown here. A mere glance at the ground 
and he can tell with amazing certainty just where one would most likely 
be found when he can no longer elude his pursuer, but must stop and 
make a stand. 
