The Natural Way
Dr. Jeff Black
Professor of Biolosy
Oklahoma kptist University
SNAKE
I went this
from the flea
to the grocery
People asked me
snakes. Warm
people get-
to clean their
enjoy nature
about an
of thoughts
about snakes.
frequently
forming a
called "Black
Exter-
Judith would
but not
silent partner
COmes to snakes,
We get
from people
us to rid their
and woods of
they live close
take it up with
Peter
Their will-
to hunt snakes is
to
of fishing
on the land and the
of the land-
pay them with
to fish. My
work for pen-
Work for fishing
them
snake sticks,
to hold the
and fishing poles.
rid an area of
but usual-
a dent in the
have very
snakes in
Oklahoma, so
the snakes they
non-poisonous
released in
area away from
Is one very small
many people
their yards or
late and
,fre-
this snake
baby cop-
and bring it to
This tom-
a copper-
it poisonous
the Prairie
Snake. Its scien-
{Diadophis
arnyi Ken-
as long as
itself.
Ringnecks rare-
12 inches in
are as big
as a pen-
are one of the
snakes in
of Oklahoma,
L often by
nature.
aCtive at night
Prowl in search
is another
of us don't
They are most
In the early
spring when they are
found during the day un-
der rocks or boards on
grassy and wooded hill-
sides or in yards. Later in
the year they move to low-
er areas where they crawl
into cracks and crevices to
reach moisture as the soil
Iries.
Large numbers of ring-
necks are sometimes
found under the same rock
or board and some biolo-
gists think they follow
each other to these sites
by use of smell. In Kan-
sas, Dr. Henry Fitch esti-
mated that there were 719
to 1,849 Prairie Ringnecks
per every 2V2 acres of
land.
Prairie Ringnecks are
small dark gray snakes
with a narrow band or ring
of orange just behind the
head. This neck ring may
he continuous or broken
as it circles the neck. It is
this ring that gives the
snake its common name of
ringneck. The Prairie
Ringneck is also noted for
a yellow to orange belly
color with tiny black half-
circles scattered the full
length. The underside of
the tail is bright red.
When disturbed or han-'
cued, a ringneck tightly
coils its body, buries its
head under coils, and coils
and raises the taft to ex-
pose the bright red under
color. This behavior has
earned the ringneck the
nickname of "corkscrew
snake." The brightly
colored and coiled taft may
serve to distract birds
that eat ringnecks into at-
tacking the brightly
colored tail rather than
the head or body. This
would give the snake a
better chance of surviving
an attack. Bright red
colors in the animal world
are also signals that an
animal is poisonous or
doesn't taste good, which
may explain why some
animals leave the ringneck
alone when it raises its
brightly decorated tail
into the air.
The small size of the
ringneck's mouth makes it
difficult to inflict an inju-
ry and it usually does not
attempt to bite when han-
dled. There is some specu-
lation that this tiny snake
has a weak venom which
is harmless to man, but
would stun an earthworm
or insect. One biologist
reported a burning sensa-
tion after being bitten by
a ringneck.
Ringnecks can also de-
fend themselves by
thrashing around
vigorously and discharg-
N
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Perkins
Tim Porki Journal Thurmiay, March 15, 1984 -- PAGE 9
ALUMNI TO
BUILD SCHOOL
AUDITORIUM
TECUMSEH -- The
alumni association met
with the school board to
ask them if they would ac-
Kevin McNew, a junior at pip High, was emriotufly in- cept a $1000,000 building
jured during spring break. He is at Chlldren Memeri- to be used by the associa-
al Hospital, Room 404. The student body and faculty tion for their annual meet-
wish h/m a spesdy
. , . . ing once a year, and the
school the remainder of
A big thank you to the Payne County Hmtofi- the year. The building (125
cal Society for their donation of ' ittle 'Ibm and Fats,"
a publication of interact by Alvin Mitchell The x 80 would also be a col-
publication of this book was sponsored by the Society letting point for storing
and premnted by them to the library, and displaying school
memorabilia. The spokes-
man said they would build
Middle School CaUfurnla teste are eched- it at the high school, or
for March 28 and 29.
,,, "anywhere you want it."
-O-
A Ring Neck Snake THORPE STAMP TO GOLDEN ARCHES STEAM, GAS
_ BE RELEASED ARRIVE ENGINE SHOW
ing a foul-smeUing sub- One to seven eggs are laid been known to live for 15 - YALE -- May 25 is the- CHANDLER -- The fa- SCHEDULED
stance from glands at the by each female in late years, release date for a Jim mous golden arches have PAWNEE -- A bi_gh-
base of the tail which can June to early July. The S Thorpe commemorative come to Lincoln County. light at this year's Okla-
be smeared on the animal eggs are white with yellow The next time you turn stamp. Ray Blozis, The official opening of homa Steam Thresher
handling them. Thisterri- ends or entirely yellow, over a board or rock and WashingtonD. C.,special McDonald's at Wellston, Association show on July
ble smelling substance is Young usually hatch from see a tiny snake with an stamp director conducted located on the Turner 27, 28, and 29, will be the
difficult to remove and the eggs in about twoorange ring around its a recent meeting in Yale, Turnpike, was Saturday, National Meeting of the
makes one wish they had months, neck, don't grabyourhoe and a half-hour official March 10.. There is Early Day Gas Engine
not handled a ringneckIf you have a "pet" or shovel. Instead say program to be held in Yale another McDonald's on and Tractor Association.
snake, ringneck snake in your "hello" to the harmless on that date, was planned, the Turner Turnpike at Ordinarily all engines are
Another means of backyard, it may he the Prairie Ringneck Snake, It will be held during an Bristow, The Welleton in- steam operated, but this
defense is for the ringneck same ringneck you seeone of the most common all day celebration and ob- stallation employs 75, 35 year the gas engine seg-
to fake death and remain year after year. They have small Oklahoma snakes,servance, full time. ment will be featured also.
motionless on its back. , : '
Some predatorswillnotM b k at th the dire c0nsequences of lyisGoldthwait's, First
eat a dead or non-moving
animal andwillthusleave any new oo s arrive e i heir mother'a} acts, You Have to Find Him;
Flowero In the Attic, Pc- , other mysteries are:
a "dead ringneck alone. Perkins Library on the Wind, and If Dominoes; Hard Line--
This small snake has There be Thorns; the Best Lt. Powder, in charge of
many ways to defend it-AT THE LIBRARY Norah Lofts brings Mary finding people and captur- Seller--,Berlin Game by Missing Person s Bureau,
self because it is eaten by We have sort of a con- and Joseph to life; You ing their language and Deighton--strong and has a new partner--a
other snakes and birds.
Biting, discharging musk, glomeration we want to Can't ?o Home Again-- worlds in a special way; compelling thriller filled woman; Sirens--by Lust-
faking death and display- cover this week, it may Wolfe s classic; Quo AND--The Tie That with suspense; Dancing bader, the writer of The
ing the brightly-coloredseem a "hodge-podge", Vadis--Sienkiewicz-- Binds; a History of Car- Girls and Other Stories Nlnja; A Man Con-
tail are defenses used by but we hope there is some- Nero and the Christians ney, OK by Corley--from by Atwood--men and demned--includes an
the ringneck. Apparently thing here to catch your in one of the most inspir- the beginning to now in women in the 0's andassassination attempt on
one typeofdefenseworks attention: Some new ing books ever written; poetry and narrative their miscommunication; an oil millionaire, an
against one kind of enemy, hardbound books from Kantor's Andemonville-- form. Mary Stewart's 4th in her armed robbery, and a bru-
while a second behavior or Avalon Books are Fear in in depth novel of the Civil Fiction to be enjoyed: Athurian legends is The tat murder on the Detec-
a combination of be- the Night--mystery with War prisoner of war camp; Trade Wind by Kaye-- Wicked Day--plots andtive Inspector s daily
haviors works against romance in a "Now" set- -. ....... snlendid historical novel counterplots of the tragic crime list; and a couple of
• . dames nones rne trim - • last part of Arthur'sRegency romances;
others, tmg, three romances-- Rea Li,,o .... of love and death m exot-
F" • - ............... reign; Richard the Lion- Match of the Season by
Most ringnecks we have light to Romance,Gold- of WorH We. zT m Zanzibar just before the
en Summer; and Nurse in ,. -- " .......... J American Civil War whenhearted, The Holy Cru- Gordon, and My Lord
collected in central Okla-. reuvea ,
the Wdderness; and a " ..... the ' Isle of Cloves" was sade, and an orphsued girl Guardian by Kidd.
homa have been found to ....... P ew non-fic mn: rne ...... disguised as a page is the Story Hour entertained
have eaten earthworms. Western: The hghtmg People's Almanac a cen er oz Axrman reave basis of the just received 14 children this week--
They have also been Peacemaker. These are
reported to eat soft-bodied experimental selections to #3--bursting with incredi- trade; the popular trilogy
ble, sensational, enter- about children hidden Shield of Three Lions; bring yours along next
insects, salamanders,see if they will be used, raining and educational away from the world and spoken of as one of the Thursday morning at 9:30
best mysteries read late- to share with us.
small frogs, small lizards and if so, we may pur- facts; Murphy Must Have
and even other small chase more later of this Been a Mother--another ..............
snakes. They sometimes type. of Bloomingdale's warm-
regurgitate recently swat- Recent donations not hearted, funny look at
lowed earthworms whenpreviously owned by the
they are handled. If Sever- Library are: Evergreen by raising 10 children; How I I I
To Talk So Kids 'Will ....
al ringnscks have been col- Plain--epic novel of an Listen & Listen So Kids
letted and put in a cloth immigrant Polish girl who Will Talk--art of corn-
sack or jar together, they goes from rags to riches; municating successfully or years, you've filled
sometimes regurgitate The Other Side of theand effectively with youn- your evenings with
earthworm remains that Ralnbow--Mel Torme's
ger persons; Here's Erma: nighttime community
are smeared on each other, story of one of the most the Bombecking of news.
This makes all the snakes talented and tormented America--describing the
smell like earthworms and performers of our time,
techniques, barbed with And now, there is The
they attempt to eat each Judy Garland; The and ability to coin humor Daily Report Business
other, sometimes success- Navigator--Morris from the dross of every- Diga t, a newweekly
fully. These snakes rely West's adventure of aday life; Diabetic Candy, newspaper created for
heavily on their sense of sailor so haunted by a Cookie and Dessert those important hours
smell to locate food. legendary Pacific island,
Courtship between he sacrifices everything in Cookbook--from Choco- between 9-5.
late Banana Mousse to \
males and females has not his quest to find it; Lud- Caramel Custard Cups for Digest will be on
been described, but takes lum's The Holcroft those who usually don't your desk every
place in the late spring, Covenant--a vast plan to dare; Vacation--over 350 Thursday morning with
usually from May to June ruthlessly reshape the
in Oklahoma. Male ring- world must be stopped; offbeat and out-of-the- your coffee and the
way holidays around the morning mail.
necks have bumps {tuber- The Second Deadly Sinworld for the active
ties) on each side of their by Sanders--greed andtraveler; The World It will be with you
anal openings. These murder in the New York Guide to Gnomes, Fairies, through the business
bumps are very sensitive art world; Stained Glass Elves and Other Little week to keep you
by Buckley--international People--Kelpies, Korri- abreast of business
to touch and are used by intrigue in the '50's in
the male to stroke the fe-
male along the head and Germany. gans, Pixies, Brownies, trends, changes and
Now for purchases of and Bugaboos areenc0un- events in Payne County.
tered in this collection;
back during courtship, books with older Time-Life Books presents nd week in and
copyright dates, but most The Role of the Brain-- out it will
could be considered how it operates the vital provide, information
almost "classics": The
Scarlet Pimpernel-- processes of your body; that will influence the
The American Heritage financial decisions of
French Revolution and a History of the Great you and your family.
dashing hero; Jaws the West--a panorama with
original "fear of the full-color and black and Shouldn't you be reading
water" novel; de Wohl's white illustrations, maps, The Daily Report
The Last Crusader about a definitive retelling of Business Digest?
Don Juan of Austria; America's Western ad-
Lady of Quality--Heyer's venture; Submarines-- T H E D A I LY R E P'O R T
romantic Regency novel; from 1917 U-boats to ........ '
My Lord John, also by nuclear warcraft; and this
Heyer, but a deeply extremely importantnew
researched fictional re- addition: E'ue Highways,
telling of the times of a Journey to America
Richard II and the House by William Least Heat
of Lancaster from 1393 to Moon, who explores the
1435 AD.; How Far to
Bethlehem in which unsung side of America,
BUILDING SALE
O es, I would like Io read
a
newspaper
dealing
with business trends and events as they
30x50x12
$4,555. happen in the Payne County area. Please send
me
' $7972. r,. Dally Ripe, Business Digest tO examine free
40x75x14
"T" ~
50x100x16 ......... $14,556. so.,o..
( ...... ) ...........
Name Phone
F.O.B. OKLAHOMA CITY ('lmmedk te AOdr.s,
--For Informoflon Contact- zip
BOB
@ LAMBERT CONSTRUCTION CO.
11S W. Sth • SuRe 4 • itillwater, OK 74074 • (405) 743-3620
('mS) $72-14144
