The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-10
FEEDING RATTLEsNAKEs.
The Monthiy Dinne- Prepared for the Inter-
eating Reptiles at the Aquarium.


Lately number Of very fno specimens
OF snakes. both venomous and harmless
have been added TO tho attractions OF the
Aquarium. There are among them rattle
snakes copperheads. water moccasins. adders
vipcrs. king snakes. fox snakes. chicken
snakes. boa constructors. and many others. 80
that tho collection Ia an unusually large and
hne one. both by reason OF its comprehensive
ness and the fine condition OF tho specimens IL
includes.
Poisonous snakes very seldom take food in
captivity OF some species. no specimen has
ever been found that would do So As a rule
they obstinately starve themselves sometimes
living for nino or oven twelve months without
eating, growing gradually weaker. day by day.
that sort OF n snake. He is practical ready in
adapting. himself to circumstances. and II no is
hungry, Ia so because nothing dgestiblo is at
hand TO be killed and swallowed
u. Mr. Bergh objects to snakes being fod with
living animals 80 when tho rattlesnakes'
monthly meal time comes. as II did on Thurs
day last he Is never an invited guest An hour
was chosen when there were no strangers in
Manager Butler acted as Superintendent at n
respectful distance DR.. Dorner played head
waiter and mad two able assistants. A large. fat
rat was put in the cage OF rnttlesnake about
three feet long The rat manifested n cheerful
,hulnerenee 70 the stuatlon that was no doubt
was simply q harmless big worm. II trotted
unconcernedly over the outlying sections OF
snake, peered down among the coils for some
thing to eat. and stared with innocent surprise
and curiosity at tho upraised loudly rafting
tail Its nonchalancc actually seemed TO aston
ish the snake. and caused him to hesitate about
opening hOstilites against such n cool Gus
toner. That situation was maintained for five
minutes All that time the rnuesnake's warn
ing notes were sounding. and IL lay colled with
It's neck curved ready TO strike. and its eyes
larry blazing with malignant ferocity. At
length It struck at the rat-nnd missed. The rat
seemed to think nothing more fthe occurrence
thnn that the worm wanted to change its posi-
tion and was somew hat IN y hurry aboutt There
was no apparent alarm. but only an access Of
curiosity IN the mind of the risky rodent about
the quivering. whizzng tail, to satisfy himself
concerning which he walked deliberately up to
II and smeed IT, As he did so the snake struck
again, and thai time caught his victim left hind
leg. horrible thing CrOiabIs HoITidas was in
that moment OF pouncng upon his victim.
The fiat. broad hcad opened into
an enormous mouth; in the widely distended
jaws the large. hooked venomous fangs were
erected the eyes glowed with Jury. Quicker
blow was inflicted. Ono instant the snake
was motionless, the next its fangs were fastened
in the leg OF the struggling. squeaking, and
now thoroughly alarmed rat and the next II had
returned to its former attitude. still threaten
ing but simply following. with watchiul eyes.
the moyements OF iis victim; without essaying
any further attack. Tho frightened rat lost in
stantly the use d the leg that had been struck.
On its other three legs i hrst sprang about
ms IL in wild terror. then dragged itself around
the cage more and more slowly Mt length It
crawled among the coils OF tho snake and there
expired. Thirteen minutes elapsed from tho
| time IL wis bitten until II was dead.
Almost Immediately the snake proceeded to
| tho swallowing process There was no pre-
paratoty moistening. coiling upon and press.
| ing OF the body. The snake simply seized
| the rats head in his mouth and com
menccd operations His upper jaw is huilt in
! two sections. right and left. and he can move
| them separately. backward or forward. HOOK
| ing the teeth of one section into the rats hide.
| he would slide the other section forward "a little
| and take u frcsh hold with lis teeth. Then the
| first that made fast would let 70. come TO tho
| front and rig new purchase. In that way. by
| alternate advances Of the right and left sections
| down. But IL took him twenty minutes to do l..
| Several other rats were fed 10 the rattle
snakes with little variation Of incident, OK
ceut that their individual ,characteristics
were variously displayed. None wns as
| unconscious Of danger and impuirntly
| sOciahe as the first. and mono was AS
| pucky as the seventh. which. upon re-
| cciSing the fatal bite, sprang at tho snake
| to make fight The poison was too active
| in the courageous little fellows veins. how
| ever. Even Rs he reached the reptiles neck
| his limbs stfT-ned. his Jaws became set. and
! he rolled over on his back weakly kicking md
| ga-ping for somu minutes, and then died. Tho
| Quickest death WAS that OF tho fourth rat, whlch
| was bitten in the head. fell immediately. and
| WIS seemingly dead In less than n minute.
Dr. DOrnrr who knows almost ~ much about
| snakes as II he had made them, explains that
| ~ soon as n rattlcsnake has eaten IN captiv-
| ity. the quantity and activity OF It's poison In
creases. quickly causing the interval between
| the bite and its fatal result upon small animals
NJ least TO become very short indeed. But II
fei too often the reptiles venom loses in actly-
| ity. 80 that sometimes several bites are lnsum-
| cieut To Kill.