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Show II0 A SUI. (IIJIIPiATilir. W'hlluexlorliig lu search of ferns lu a very deep and thickly wooded ravine with tall trees above on either side, and underbrush almost entirely hutting out th. light of the sun, and render log Iho place cold mid damp, )et almost stilling for event of circulation circula-tion of air, 1 suddcnl came upon u common black snake, about four feet In length, tlikliig fast to thu aide of ii tree. My llrat Impulse naa hi lop short mid see all 1 could before he should lake fright and drop; tut uflir watch. Ing him until tin d, I began to try to dleiurh him, thinking he woul I let ko of the treo and drop, und his head wrj but tlx Act nboic tho ground. This lie, did not Intend to do; It waa not hla style of doing bull. Iieas, res I artcrwarda became con Miiccd. ?orwoull he, moM until nil thu sticks and fcUmes at hand had been thrown nt him; Isit one, liowever, touched hhn nl-iut the mlddlo, cnua. Ing him to loosen from the tree alwut Olio foot of hla.hod) , hlcll he carefully relaceel, I he tree. I shoul I state, was n cottouwood, about 15 Inches India meter, with the ord I nary rough lark common b this tree when of this size, very perpendicular mil straight, ninl w Ith n dUlnuce of about J3 feet tu the llrst limb. I ailing hi hit him further, I next cut thu long, it stick near uiu (almut ten fret), aud, gelling ii llitlo closer by climbing uun a UlUu tree top, I tried ti touch him, but the limbs settling down with im i Ight, put me again nut of re ach, 1 cllmbcel tins steep hlll.l le, and came doAiiellritly In front anl within six fec t of him, where I stood for Home tlmu taking ii more accurate survey, I found him lu almost a livnieadlcular position, but with Mry short and abrut curves in a liuniUr of hi i.e. rilestmlght I luces lu his body Were llttlng ery closely lu thoionjugatlons tntlielnirk furalxor light lucheaatn stretch, and taking nlvantage of every olIi.il In these ciJiigatluns,liotli lo the right and left, yet with uu Intention whatever tu enclrle thu tree, whlcli ouuld have been easily done by a snake of hla size, Aflcrulong examination and study of tin o trulls, 1 at last re-nvcd to make him do something, so I bichcd him gently with my stick, when he lagan moe liii; Ills entire length, tint turning hi, huiJ downward, Hocnr rle.1 hla head ami some three or f.ur luchesot his neck erect, as If crawling outhogrouud, aud picked out a route down the tree, not morn than six Inches from whe re Urn rest ol his Imdy waa going np, lie lost no rcdvantage he hael alreaily (sissessloii of, mid talc log things very deliberately, he thus gained the ground, not moving Urn length of himself him-self In Icsa than one minute. I thus ha I tefore me the vc ry rare spectacle of a snake climbing both up and down n tree at the same lime. I havn no douU tail ttiAt he could havo gone (e the very lop of the tree Just aa well as six feet, and have come down as well, had he no desired. I do not think hi olject wna lo sun hlmaelf nor lo eatch birds, as lie dead Ine lop close by offered of-fered a belli r hksHIoii fir either, but hi gc I tu a lusltlon to catch (Ilea, In which the p'ace alouiidcd, f ro!nhl attracted lythecoolniMOf tlie glem on a very hot July day, MenllUa .Imcrican. |