Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-04-12
A Live Anaconda,

Mr.. Frank Buckland describes, in Lant
and Water, the arrival Of large snake a.
| the Geological Gardens:
F" With the commencement of the Lon
don season has arrived an illustrious yisi
tor from South America. He is one OF
the largest of the BOaidg family known tc
/ our generation. He is an anaconda
! (Eunectes nalrinus), which, as [ translate
it, means the good swimming mouse OF
! deer eater. This immense snake is now
| safely housed in the Zoological Gardens
| under the parental care of Holland, who
has for many years SO ably managed the
visitor arrived at Liverpool in LARGE hoy
Intelligence was given to Mr.. Bartlett who
proceeded to Liverpool to INSPECT him q
matter OF considerable diffic ulty. Tt will
not 90 TO buy an expensive snake of this
!. klnd Wlthout warranty. Snakes are very
liable TO canker in the mouth. The gums
get swollen and ffabby, and completely
conceal the teeth, so that the beast cannot
ieeo. Again, if snakes are injured in
thelr capture they frequently die in
consequence. 1t was necessary to
examine the snake as to these two points
HaVlng been shut up for several months
Without food, and in. the dark, the ana
conda was not in good temper. When
the I'D was opened, Mr.. Bartlet4 caught
him tight around the neck with both
hands; 1t was not necessary to open the
mouth, as the savage snake did that soon
enough, of himself, in true anger. q mo-
ment's inspection showed he had no dis
ease OF the gums. 1t was with some diff
n!cuity that Mr.. Bartlett got his head back
INTO the box without letting out more
then foot or two of his body The ano-
conua mas not poisonous teeth, but has
great ana dangerous powers of crushing.
Inc box with the snake weighed over 200
pounds. 1t was with much lodging that
the anaconda was conducted by two keep
efs 10 MS neW,quarters, where he at once
retreated lntesa bath of warm water, from
which, as yet, he has only emerged once
or twice. 1t is difficult to give the exact |
length OF the snake, as he is not to be |
measured with as much facility as a
Iathom of rope. He is now living in |
'nree parallel folds in his bath: we know
ne length of the bath, and we calculate /
lis length to be between eighteen and
Wenty feet-a tremendous fellow. IT /
vas impossible TO get a tape measure
Founo MN; but having measured hisdi-
meter IN hls thlckest part, we conclude
nat ne is over-two feet round the BODY.
u present he is thin, and his skin fits
llm I'm very loosely. 1t is hoped that he
will soon begin to feed. Mr.. Rartlett
With his usual ingenuity, has found 7ouf
ow to make Mr.. Anaconda feed He
overs his bath over at night, and puts
herein with the snake duck. The duck i
always gone In the morning, and the
make appears -fatter. Anaconda is de- :
ldedly nocturnal and aquatic in his hab. ,
s. Like our own British snake. it is !
ound IN marshy,. damp places, and he
seos upon anlmais which come down to .
INK at night. Mr. Bartlett has ascer- :
lned that the last meal this snake had .
OF a young peccary, the horny :
ert OF the hoofs having been discovered !
the stones at the bottom of the cage. :
ere are also the hairs of another ami, =
al which has to be diagnosed by micro. $
oplsts. This tropical American snake :
also called the Aboma. The provincial u
me Is III trdgG uenddo, or the deepe4 Il
'alloWer. He never interferes with men =
though, OF course. he will take his own +,
TT II attacked. 1t is greatly to beAoped .
at this magnificent snake will, in time. /,
: an appetite ana recover from his trav. hi
worn appearance. His companion in Of
> cage Is magnificent reticulated "
tnoh lOtdr Sduo), caught at Penang. II
: mas peen at the gardens since August. In
20, ana has not eaten anything since he ar
1Ved- He shed his skin on 7-S,,nriav - Il,
b. %, and is now most lovely to behold fl II,
would be impossible to describe tbe =,
Is OF the new skin "a splendid lacing If 70 -.
onze, blue, gold and black, exeent bp r, r.
ing that they are quite as goroedts % on
peacOck'S plumage - 90