Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1882-11-10
OPHIOLOGY.
The Study of Snakes at Smithso-
man Institute.

| w dSuihSLOD ID Judl VI opulOiOSg, VI
which Dr.. YarIow is the head. This
society for the diffusion of usefu
knowledge has collectors in all parts of
the world, so that even specimens of
all varieties Of snakes peculiar to the
states. are not wanting TO make the col
lection complete.
The horrible and repulsive have al
ways attractions to the most timid.
The varied and vast collections OF
bright plumaged birds will be passed
by with glance and often without
comment, bat spell bound groups are
always to be seen about the wired cases
containing snakes.
For months dusty. dingy case, with
a gauze wire front. stood in a conspicu-
Gus place in the central room of the
Smithsonian. 1t was labeled danger
Gus. In one corner was coiled large
rattlesnake A light tap on the wire
caused the creature to open its eyes,
otherwise it showed no signs Of life.
There was no food, and the receptacle
for water was as dry rs lime kiln. 1t
had been without food at the time for
five months. Its sDakeship under the
regimen of such a boarding house, was
gradually diminishing in weight, TO
prove which it was weighed at stated
periods. 1t may be existing on the
same diet still. If so, what a pathetic
case of cruelty to animals. 1may have
done Maj. King, the Bergh of Wash
ington, a special service in mentioning
this case, but there are other boarding
houses about town where the regimen
is aboutas slim as the rattlesnake's, and
the ;. p. C. A. have never been known
to interfere l.. the interests of the in
mates.
Snakes are no longer preserved in
alcohol in the Smithsonian. 1t is found
that the absorption of the spirits en-
larges the specimen, and often destroys
the cOlors peculiar to it to such de-
gree as to render them unacceptable
and valueless.
They are fed and cared for while be-
ing studied. The dangerous ones are
chlor)formed and plaster casts taken
while harmless. When these models
are completed they are painted true to
nature by an artist who has the origin.
al To guide him.
Some of these snakes become great
favorites among the men in the model
room. They come when called from
their cages, coiling in an affectionate
manner around the arms and necks of
their friends. The water snakes enjoy
themselves in large tank filled with
water in the work room.
An adder was taking bath;i pulled
Itself out so that it aOated like rubber
ball, frolicking with ali the sportiye-
ness Vt child.
1t came out when called, winding up
the arm of the man and darting its
head in and out his long beard. After
being RECALLED on frog it went will
lingly back to its cage to digest its
dinner.
The models are all labeled with the
name and locality where the original
was found and placed in the ophicion
collection.
In point of responsiveness the mecca
sin bears off tie palm. The copperhead
is rather an attractive fellow, [ should
say, as model. the irridescent head
piece from which is name is derived
making a point of color exceedingly
aesthetic in its otherwise somber hue.
A large case of king snakes have
been great attraction 10 Smithsonian
visitors. They came from Florida, and
are the acknowledged conquerors of
that lordly monarch, the rattlesnake.
They are not SO large in girth, but are
very powerful. l was present at feed
ing-tims upon one occasion. A sweet
sixteen prince Tor princess) helped itself
to "a frog without the permission of one
of their gracious majesties, who caught
on the same morsel. AS neither would
yield the point of precedence, the king
swallowed the younger member of the
royal family-or nearly so-fOr when /
, left the tail of the incarcerated snake
was still protruding in vigorous way
to the outer world.
DR.. Yarrow has been made extreme
ly happy 10y a mother snake presenting
the Smithsonian with the surprising
progeny of over one hundred snakelets
The event was especially interesting
TO students of natural history.
The Doctor stesearches have brought
! him ia contact 3iJh snakes both harm.
less and those whose strings are fatal
! | read number of years ago, when the
! subject of hydrophobia was being un
!, der general discussion by the press, al
! article from him. wherein the cure OF
that terrible malady is set down as pos
sibIe, under certain conditions, Of
y course.
A friend of mine has a maidstone
D one of five stones purchased from thu
! natives of India and brought to Vir
4 ginia by his grandfather and uncle il
! the first years of this century. One Of
!. the others is now in possession of two
\ sisters, the Misses King, of Richmond
q Va. Two are owned by Mrs. Mary X
3 Tyler and her son, Mr.. Edmund Tyler
y OF Louden Co., Va, and one was pur
o chased by a gentleman who had beer
q bitten by rattlesnake, and after tn,
! application of the stone to the WOUND
n was so charmed by the effect of its use
: that he raised his offer from $50 t
: $500, which was accepted, and it is nov
v in North Carolina in the possession o.
. his family.
9 1t is the habit of medical men tt
$ jeer at the mere mention of the mad
. stone. The families who own then
e are highly educated, sensible people. A
g record has been kept Of the cures eff
( fected by these singular substance:
: | knoun 40 mad-atones norma ont nv ths