Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-03-13
Feeding Rattiesnakes.

4
Lstely number Of very 6ne specimens Of
snakes. both venomous and harmless, have
been added 10 the attractions of tho Aquarium.
There orc among them rattesDakes, copper
heads, water mccoasins. adde,s. vipers, king
snakes fox snakes, chicke6 s1akcs, boscons!rict-
ors, aud macy others, 60 that tho collection is
an usually large auI fine ore, both by reason of
its conprehausiveucss and tho fee condition Of
the specimens il Includes.
Poisonous soakesvery seldom tako food 10
captivity. OF fs1ue species. no specimen has
ever been fourd that would do SO. As e rule,
they ohs:instcly starve themselves, sometimes
living for nine or even twelve months without
eating groWiog gradually weaker day by day,
uu!il they finally die. Crotatus Horridus is not
tba: sort Of c snake. Ho is practical, ready in
adapting himself to circumstances, and if he is
huogry, is SO because nothing digestib!o is at
hand TO be killed end sHaI!owsd.
Mr. Bergh objects TO snakes bclag fed
With living animals. So when the rattle.
snakes monthly meal time comss, IS it did
on Thursday last, he is never an invited
guest. AI hour was CHOSEN when there
were no strangers 10 the Aquarium and ths
dinner YVES served. Manager Butler acted as
superintendent, Q! respectful distance. DR..
Doruer played head waiter and had ,wo able
assistants. large, ta. ra. w0s put In the cage
OF rGtt!esraks ebout three feet loug. The ret
manifested cheerful indifference to tho situa.
top, that &ss 90 doubt based on tho happy do.
lusion that is companion Was simply harm
les4 b.. Worm Il trottcd uacoucarnedy over
the outlying sections Of snake, peered doHa
among the coiis for something to cat, and star'
Cd with innocent surprise aud curiosity ct tho
upraised loudly rettliog tail LIS nonchaaace
actually seemed TO astob!sh the saake. aDd
caCae1 lin to hesitate about opeulcg hostillties
agsias. such cool customer, That situation
was maioteiaeG for five minutes. Ali that time
the ra.tesnasc' S warElGg notes were sounding,
aud il 10y cullad With its neck curved ready to
strike, ard lis e:cs i0ir!y b!:z:Gg with msIig-
nant lerOcity.
a, lepgth it struck a; iho rat-and missed.
The rat :eemcd to thIIk nothing more of the
occurrence than that tho worm wanted 70
ctap2e It's position aud was somewhat 10 q
hurry abou! it. There was 90 apparent alarm.
bat only an access OF curiosity 10 the mind of
the irisky -OdeGt about the quiVeriog, Whizzlog
tail, 10 satisfy bims=lt concerning winch he
walked deliberately up 10 it and smclled it,
AS ho did SO the snake struck again, and that
time caught ti5 victim, left hind leg.
A horribla thiag Crotalus Horrid1s was 10
that lloncn. OF pcuaClog upon Ills vlctlin. The
fat, broad head was opened into au enormous
mouth in the widely distcndcd jaws the large,
hooked ana YeaonGu1 tI3g1 were erected; the
eyes gowcd with iury. Quicker than sight
could follow the mulion, tue deadly blew was
l.fc!ct. Olc usta1J tie soake was noii0u-
less, the rtxi its faugs We're fastened il the lex
Of the struggling, lqlcak;rg, ead now thorough
ly alarmed rac, acd tne nexe 1t had returned 10
its former attitude, sill; threatening but simply
fvlluHiaa, with waicnI! eyes, the movements
Of its v!clial, without es:a,lcg soy further a.
tack.
yhe rriahtened rat lost Instantly tie use Of
the leg tha. had b=cu struck. o. its other
,hrce legs it fist spIacg about as if 10 wild ter
:or, then dfsgsc1 Itself around the usgc mora
and more slowly az length il orsw;ed am2Gg
tho coils Of lhc snake aod there expired. Thit-
teen miIutcs tlip3ed frJm tie !rs It was bitten
until il was dad.
Amcss Immediately the snake proceeded to
the swallowing process. There was 40 prepara.
tory noiste1iog, coillng upon and pressing ct
the body. The snake simply seiz:d the rats
head 10 bis mouth and oommeco:d operations.
His upper jaw is built in tHo scc;iors night and
left, and he can move them separately, back.
| ward or forward. Hooking tic teeth OF orc Sec
ton iuto tho rat s hide, he Tocd slide the ot5tr
seOtlOD fCTW2TG Il Hti.e HOu lehc q itSoh 'Io'A
with i.s teeth Ther he first that msdo fast
| would let 20, como to I'll: tr1ot aud rig
new purchase. In that way, By alternate Cd
yauces o. he right and lett secIlons OF his up
! Der Jaw. be slowly pushed h:s d'pucr doTo.-
But is tcok bim tSentg wllltcs to do i.
| Several Other rats were led to the rattle
;n,koy, with tie variation Of loclteut, tx-
cert tina, their iadigidu! characteristics wera.
yarious'y displayed. Norc wss ss lEcoosclcus ct
DANGER and inpu5enty scc!ab!c es the fFs:,
and conc was as pIucky as the ecvecth which.
unoa recei9iog tho fatal bite, spraus at the
snake TO make fight. The poisGn was loo
active 10 ,ha cjurs seous i:,io fellows Velus,
bowever. Even os he reached the reptiles
necis his limbs ssif,ued, bis jaws becsmo set.
snd be rolled over co his back, weakly, kick.
lioy and gasping cr some minutes. aod then
d;ed, The quickest death was that or the
fourth rat, wSloh vas bitten 10 the head, Tell
Immediately, e1d vas seemingly dsad 10 less
than minute.
/ DR.. Dorner, who kooTs almost as much
= ,out snakes as if ho had made them, explains
th. az soon az g rattlesnake has eaten 10 captl'
vitv. the quantity and activity Of i,s poison
ncrpa veg, quickly clusing tie Interval between
the hite aod It's fatal result, upen snail animals
At least, 10 become very short Indeed. but II
fed too off qn the reptiles venom loses 10 act!'
| vitv so thu sometimes several bites are Insult
e ,;snt IN kill ,-Neu York Sun.