The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-01
JOHN JENNINGS's sNAKE


John Jennings Of this city hns returned
home with a black African boa cou-tririor six
teen feet i length. He IL r,sdiug with his
mother on Cedar tfroct. near Walnut. and the
snakci IL stopping with bin. Yesterday after
noon Jennings exhibited the skin of the reptile
that had br,.n shed during the course 0f the
day. II WIS damp fatty. aud IN two parts. hHv-
ing been accidentally torn. One pieccwns about
twelve feet long and IN" other six, The skin
WAS % network ut hQunir m"slles. finely wrought
mud the lighter shades Of L rrsenhled the thin
knit texture of which mdi"s' clouds" or nu-
hlg- are made or Jenn ngs rolled The clumsy
substance into bill and was not at AL alarm ed
in handling u. " IL IL not poisonOus.' snid he.
and he put one end OF II in his mouth and bit
into IL.
The monster snake is kept in tho second story
oithc house in glass case. jennings is circus
performer. and h" brought the reptile with him
the West and South. When you buy these
snakes from snake dealers in New lOrk. " said
he, YOU buy a cai ia the bag They arrive IN
TINS country IN the boxes they are packed IN in
Africa. From the time the natives catch them
ami box them until the retail customer pur-
on tho outside Of he boxes nrc marks ind.
cnting tn Kind If snake and IL length. When
10 In bought the dealer sells il for whnt ne uur-
chased II. NO guarantee IL given that the snake
II alive. and there is no telling that the snuke
doc, i've antil the boa Is unp"rkcd. When tlis
snake ut mime wa uupuckrd IT jumped wildly
could secure II, II still has It's teeth and tang-,
On the second Joint OF the middle OF this hand
Tie ,nAk" hit me-. uui there Is no danger They
do all their execution by crushing. The mus
clrH in their body ure very powerful.
II out~ once in about every three months.
Then it ligds lis cont IT. feeding time WAS
this week. give II live pigeons. All do Is to
pat them in the glass case. The snake wutrhne
il chance and brushes tho life out Of the pigeon
ngalu-t the sides OF the glass. This snake is
modest IN liz way. ind won't do much killing II
auyholy etdud- n ar To- watch. After the plgoun
Is crushed The snake swallows IL whole. feathers
aud all. Tho snake gets into % coil and hHs tic
pigeon Feet pointing toward liz tail, The hird
l. swallowed head first From five 10 scycu
pigeons make n M ul Whom the snake ou 'e
commences tp swallow the pigeon II won't
e,up, no mUtt'r how many ueoplc are nrnr it,
ANrr ii hn~ eaton enough IT. Will hc stli for
nearly ihr"e months. scarcely ever moving.
Thry hive good time of II in their own way.
All thoy want is plenty totNt M tn" proper tlm'.
and the -nako lS all right. Ii shed, MS coat
with oNrr} meal or. lu other words. goto "a new
Suit Hh1ut Jour Times % ArHr That more than
guod many r'i. and 1t don't cost the suahe
huAthiug. Just now it's skin lis as soft aud
Liu--y as hHrh t,INnl When ID rhrd- itr coast /
somrtimrs hrlpt' tuke fhr nll skin on Nhrn
IT, lruiiug tiiuo rlni's around 70 becomes lively
ana angry. II i- ue thiol. u- % stove pip.. Hud
M'igi7 nearly uuo hundred pounds. | Wil
N''p inr 0l'nb' nero uuu. i. start a-aln ou u,D
Iuud u fAl season.