CREATURES OF MYSTERY 
135 
Having their positions located, we set out at dusk one summer 
evening determined to hunt them down, regardless of the risk 
to our personal safety. Now, it seems that ofttimes one of the 
pair does practically all the calling for several days—if the 
other calls at all it is a mere cricket chirp, of which the average 
person would take no note. It thus happened on this occasion. 
The one we endeavored to stalk was out on a small sand knoll 
thickly covered with shrub oaks. We were not even aware of 
the presence of the other down in a dense undergrowth within 
the creek swamp. True enough, we had been hearing the call 
of the other, but had not up to the time mentioned identified 
it as the call of the rattler. We had presumed that it was the 
chattering of some bird. As we drew near to the one on the 
hillside, though we had taken every possible precaution to 
cushion our footsteps, he evidently heard or felt us while we 
were still fully two hundred feet away. Just at this time we 
were thrown into a state of confusion. We had been convinced 
all the while that we were on the correct course, but when we 
heard him again he was almost behind us. Changing our 
course we followed up again until we were led squarely up to 
the dense undergrowth. To penetrate such, under the circum¬ 
stances, was not only hopeless, but highly hazardous, conse¬ 
quently we gave up the chase. It was not until several days had 
elapsed that it dawned upon us that this pair had taken full 
advantage of our utter unfamiliarity with their craftiness. It 
was clear to us then. The one on the hilltop had signalled the 
one down in the swamp, by snake code, to take up the song, 
that he was signing off due to the close proximity of some snoop¬ 
ing human. Though we never came closer than two hundred 
feet of either of them, and while no disturbance whatever was 
created, yet they seemed to sense the fact that we were search¬ 
ing for them because of the call, they either departed imme¬ 
diately for other hunting ground or desisted from making their 
loud call for the remainder of the summer. Crafty creatures! 
Another advantage is gained by them remaining apart dur¬ 
ing the hunting season. As already stated, if one is killed the 
other is spared, but the main idea appears to be that hunting 
is better—game is more easily bagged by reason of their prac- 
