Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 271, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 November 1918 — FRIENDSHIP HARD TO EXPLAIN [ARTICLE]

FRIENDSHIP HARD TO EXPLAIN

L’.-- Adder and the Rat • t laadlv” oTAustralian snakes, the death adder has to its credit many the C reasons for such opinion being: (1) the small size of the creature, re1 tUk Ina/lvanianHv • Ifro 41 IT) If)bility; (3) the fact that unless the IH a motnhmtiP the* end of the rwiint i« trn/Tdon on OF menu v w

Many years ago a locality In Australia suffered from a raid by bush rats, which congregated in great numbers. Similar plagues have often been recorded from the western ’downs; but the coastal visitation was singular, for It was associated with death adders, which seemed to be on good terms with the rats. One of-the settlers was growing sweet potatoes on a fairly large scale for pig food, the plow being used for the harvesting of the crop. Seldom was a furrow run for the full length of the field without turning both adders and rats.

Suddenly the rats migrated, and then the death adders disappeared, few of either being seen for a decade when the association between them was again sensationally illustrated. The daughter of a settler rose at dawn, and with others ran off to the vegetable garden for salads for breakfast. While she was looking for a seemly cucumber, a rat was disturbed, and almost immediately after she was bitten by a death adder which had lain inert at the very spot whence the, rat had fled. The child recovered, while the deceptive snake, which will not submit to have its tail saluted even by the airiest of "treads, was killed. This Illustrates afresh the singular association between an adder and a rat. Why and for what purpose does this ipparent amicability exist?