Morning journal and courier., 1883-01-25

1 hideous snakes of South American forests and streams to be pictured on the canvas
 screen, and pointing to one of the largest re-
 marked that he was once obliged to klu one
 of that kind with an axe in order to save his
 own life The story had been written for
 his book, but it was one that he never cared
 to repeat. In describing the rattlesnake Prof. Bickmore showed his audience snakes rattle and gave demonstration of how 1t
 sounded when shaken by the snake. The sound of such rattle, he said, in the dense woods of the South generally meant death to anyone who heard it. The rattlesnake is fast disappearing from the face of the earth. The cobra, which is carried about and fondled by the snake-charmers of India, is the most poisonous of all reptiles. Its fangs contain 8 secre- tion that is deadly in it's effects, and yet there are persons who hunt for them, and by the charm of music and personal magnet ism convert them into domestic pets. The British government in India recently caused statistics to be gathered showing the number of deaths caused in that country by snake bites. From the official reports, Prof. Bick- more said, it had been estimated that at least 20, 900 persons and 50, 900 head of cattle died in India each year from snake-bites. At least tWo-thirds of this mischief is due to the cobra, and the British authorities in India are about to offer premium of so much per head for every cobra that is killed.
 Of turtles there are two general classes, those that have feet and are known as land turtles and those that have fins or paddles and are known as sea turtles. The green turtles. so famous for the soups which are (some- times slanderously) attributed to them, are found in the largest numbers in the West Indies. Hundreds of men devote their time to catching them and shipping them to the markets. When the turtles come ashore at night to lay their eggs the turtle hunters fnr1, Oyp% %hair hooHc hu mas nf stout sticks. A turtle on its back is power less, for it cannot regain it's feet. Turtles when turned upside down breathe very hard and as with great difficulty and pain. Prof. Bickmore said that some time ago Henry Bergh in tuted,proceedings against Fulton Market dealer, under the cruelty to animals act, for keeping turtle on it's back. It was claimed by MT. Bergh that the turtle was unable to breathe that way and was tortured. Ut was shown. however" said the lecturer, that the turtles breathe in that labored way all the time. Mir. Bergh's purpose was good enough, but his reasons were bad" After the mother turtle lays an egg in the sand she goes of and leaves it to the tender mercies of the sun. As soon as they are matched the young turtles look out for themselves they get no attention or protection from their parents. In fact, they do not know who their parents are. All turtles are foundlings. There are numerous curious varieties of tur- tles from the leather back turtle of Mass a. chusetts Bay to the elephant turtle of the Galapagos Islands, in the Pacific Ocean. The snapping turtles were illustrated and their peculiarities described. Alligators, croco- diles, and lizards were embraced in the sau rian class of reptiles. Lizards were described as among the most agile of living creatures, and the lecturer had seen them in eastern countries where they crawled around the walls and ceilings of rooms in the same man. ner as the common house fly does in this country. Prof. Bickmore's lecture next Sat. urday will be on birds, including ostriches and eagles.