The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-01-24

NAAoSo AA--S -DAS 49,
broke
Beneath sore bruises-heavy stroke On stroke
The land where each hath leave to rest at last,
To human plaudits comfort him above?
Or is he pleased with our remorseful love?
A Happy Family-SnakeS as Necklaces
and Armlets.
The eminent English zoologist, Mr..
Frank auckland, editor of Land and
Water, tells the following extraordina-
~ story in his newspaper: " Snakes
are regarded with horror and repugnance
by the generality of mankind and wO-
mankind, and for this reason their hab-
its and instincts have not been sufficient
ly studied. Snakes may be broadly di-
vided into poisonous and not poisonous.
AS a rule, poisonous snakes will get out
of mans way if not attacked or insult
ed. / do not recommend people trying
to tame poisonous snakes, nor do L adj
wise them to charm them after the fash
ion of the Indian jugglers, though, as
has been often shown, these poisonous
snakes are generally doctored, as re-
CARDS their fangs, before the exhibition
takes place. There is now in London
gentleman who has a charming family
of pet snakes-harmless, of course.
This gentleman's name is Mann. He
is a professor of music, and lives in
Cheyne Walk, Chelsea Mr. Mann call
ed on me a day or two ago at my Office,
and requested me to give him assistance
as he had got into a bother with his
neighbors about keeping the snakes.
anxious to be of service to this gen
tleman, I called at the house in order
to examine his snakery. He placed in
the middle of the room a large box,
which was carefully locked, unless he
or his wife took out the snakes to feed
or examine them. The first he produc-
ed from the box was a very fine common
British snake (COluber natrix). His
snakes have all got names and this ones
was Julia. Julia had long ago laid thir
ty-six eggs, which were Matched out sue
cessfully. The next was also q common
British snake. The ring around the
neck was very bright in this snake. She
rejoices in the name of Sylvia. Sylvia
is very good at frogs; lately she ate nine
frogs-seven large frogs and two small
at one meal, one after the other Mr..
Mann has also two other cOmmYn
snakes. whose names are PrOteus and
Beatrice, or she of the golden hair.
This modern snake charmer then dived
his hand into the box and brought out
an exceedingly lively brOTn colored
snake The head is remarkably pretty
and lizard-like, and it has the power of
moving the head very quickly from side
to side; the eye is also remarkably bril-
liant. This snake was brought from
Jamrach; it is called a Lacertine, and
comes from the coast of Mogador, North
Africa; it is perfectly harmless. Mr..
Mann has had the Lacertine about twen-
ty months. It is pretty elegant crea-
ture It feeds on white mice.
"Mr Mann then showed me the gem
of his collection. 1t is a remarkably
handsome Brazilian boa, measuring be-
tween five and six feet long, and weigh
ing from twelve to fourteen pounds.
The name of this snake is "CleO," short
for Cleopatra. Continual handling and
petting has caused this snake to become
most remarkably tame, and I think
there can be no doubt she knows indi-
viduals. When placed on the table Cleo
would not come to me at all, but glided
away to her master, who was sitting at
the opposite side of the table, and,
stretching her body from the table to
the chair, gradually pulled her long
length to him. She then glided up his
right side, and followed her coils around
his neck, placed her head close to her
masters face, and there she lay for some
minutes quivering her black, forked
tongue with evident pleasure Mr..
Mann's two little children, aged five and
six respectively, then came into the
room. They Immediately ran to the
snake and began playing whit, kissing
it and pulling it, calling it "Cleo, dear
Cleo" Cleo was then made to glide on
the floor; the children ran after her and
picked her up, and the little girl, pick
ing her up, put her round the neck like
a boa. q wonder if this was the origin
of the word boa p Cleo evidently enjoy
ed the fun as much as the children. 1t
was very curious to see these two little
children encircled in Cleo's ponderous
folds, reminding me much of the cele-
brated statue of the LAGOON, and, if I
recollect right, the marble children in
the statue are represented as about the
same age and size as Mr.. Mann's two
children. Cleo is a particular favorite
of Mrs. Mann, and [ saw a very nice
photograph of her, with Cleo coiled
around her neck. [ subsequently saw
Mrs. Mann in this attitude with her pet
snake. Cleo had shed her skin several
times, and it is curious to remark that
she shed her skin ten times in two years.
Mr.. Mann has the last skin shed. It is
quite perfect, and as thin as tissue pa
per; and I should think would make q
good pattern for fancy lace work.
"Cleo feeds principally on pigeons.
If pigeon is put into her cage, and she
is not hungry, she seems to make
friends with the pigeon, and will never
attempt to eat it. Should, however, a
4, l. I. Il,
will devour it instantly. She feeds once
a fortnight, and two pigeons Will about
last her for this time Mi. Mann has
observed that, when let loos,, Cleo al
ways tries to climb upward, whereas the
Laaertine always seeks the ground.
Cleo must certainly know her master
and mistress. Once when they W MT
out of town Cleo was left behind. She
pinned and would not feed during their
abcence When Mr.. AMI Mrs. Mann
returned, after six weeks absence, on
hearing her mistress voice, instantly
rushed out of her box, cooled herself
round her, and kissed her face. She
evidently recognized her kind friends
and protectors.
Mr.. Mann has also another large
Indian python, but this snake Is not
very well, and has private apartments
TO itself in leather capet-bag. The
snakes will feed out of Mr.. Mann's
hand. The common snakes eat frogs,
and frogs only; the Lacertine eats white
mice; the python delights in guinea
pigs. Altogether [ was exceedingly
pleased with Mr.. Manns collection of
snakes. BY his very successful snake
tanning he has opened up new chapter
in natural history, and has shown what
persevering kindness will do in tanning
snakes, poor creatures! which have
hitherto been thought to have little or
no intelligence.
Rats have an unaccountable fond
ness for the taste of phosphorus, and to
this fact may be attributed the origin of
many mysterious fires. These rodents
build their nests of infammable mater
ials, and take to them any stray matches
that they find lying around loose. This
accomplished, they undertake to crafty
kloI. ~, L. IL R1o tod