246 
CREATURES OF MYSTERY 
pullet, an inland water bird. It is very doubtful if the most 
skilled observer or investigator would be able to distinguish 
between the two. The pitch, intonation, and the length, or 
duration of the call, is identical with that of the Indian pullet. 
But the chicken hawk being almost universally known, I shall 
use his call in making comparisons. The pitch and intonation 
of the two are identical. The duration is wherein the difference 
lies. The daytime call of the rattler represents an almost in¬ 
divisible portion of the duration of the hawk’s call, “Tee-r,” 
more of a chirp, as one will see, than a call. The accent is 
almost wholly upon the first syllable. 
Rural residents throughout the deep South, being armed 
with the above information, once having learned to identify 
the rattler’s call, should find it an easy matter to rid their 
premises of the menace of their presence. Even a mongrel 
dog can very easily be trained to hunt them down, thus reliev¬ 
ing his master of the danger of such a hazardous sport. 
But let’s return to my two rattler neighbors. They remained 
with me from the middle of August until about the first of 
October, and then took their leave for parts unknown. As 
proof of their appreciation of my hospitality, they left their 
family of little ones scattered all up and down this rough 
stream, which caused me to tread with caution for many years 
to come. 
