The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1885-09-15
ABOUT RATTLESNAKES.
A Letter from Professor Jenny in Reply
10 the Freio Presse.

Editor san Antonio Light
An article was published In the Daily
Frele Prcsse on the sth instant giving
synopsis of observations regarding the
life and propagating OF rattlesnakes as
made by me lately. The article was
written by me and published rs such,
but the editor of said paper is guilty Of
gross ignorance in his annexed editorial
remarks, which are Ms follows: ave
publish the interesting communication
Of Professor Jenny, the director OF our
Natural History Museum at San Pedro
Springs park, with the special condition
that we leave the responsibility for the
same to him. Generally speaking. the
Professor must be n little mistaken when
he claims to have discovered something
new in his observations. Brehm says,
on Life Of Animals volume >, page lSG,
edition 1863, In an article on propagation
of snakes. the following: About four
months after pairing. the eggs (about 10
in number) become ripe and are laid by
the female In warm, damp places, pro-
vided the snakes do not belong to that
species which bear live young ones, |. e.,
to lay eggs which at once give birth and
lie to the young when the egg Ia suiil-
ciently developed and bursts Mt or even
before depOsiting the same. The female
does not assist In this process of opening
the egg and does not concern Itself In
any manner about the young snakes.
They grow very slow, but keep growing
to the end OF their life, etc. From these
communications of Brehm 1t can be seen
that the observations of Professor Jenny,
though highly Interesting, are by no
means new
Considering the foregoing as an unjust
imputatiOn OF Ignorance on my part,
would ask you to allow me room in your
columns for the following. An inquir-
ing mind for truth is often led on false
traits. This is especially the case in the
study Of natural history science. Many
mistakes are made, and the real and
earnest inquirers will at all times
gladly accept corrections, no mat
ter from whom they may come. pro-
yided they prove to be argumentive and
end with good fundamental conclusions
for the establishment of truth. The re-
marks of the editor of the Freie Presse
seem, however, to have been made for II
different purpose since he very graci-
Oluly leaves the responsibility of my OBJ
seryatiOns to myself, and attempts, ac-
cording TO his own conceptions Of my
report, to cite aud prove from "Brehm's
Animal Life" that Brehm was an un-
known author to me. The citation re-
ferred to by him Is also found in the
same work, edition of 1872, vol. Z, page
2S6, second line, where Brehm speaks In
general manner about snakes, and
says that they propagate their species
by laying of eggs, ana only few species
of poisonous reptiles increase by giving
birth to fully developed young. My re-
port was u special one on rattlesnakes,
and the said editor should have had
"Raltlesnakes," which he could
have found in vol. I, pages 10O-5lO,
described at length, had he read
this he would certainly not have attri-
buted false imputations to me. Brehm
himself does not speak of personal OBJ
servatiOns. but cites them from profess
sional natural scientists like Geier, Au-
dubon, ETC., Mt length. There he can
read that rattlesnukes perform the in
crease of their species by the laying Of
eggs. They are Matched by natural heat.
lie will see then that he has not dis
proved facts as stated by me, but he has
made Il gross mistake in making his SUI
plementory remarks. lie has proven
that by imagining to know everything.
lie has never read the book of travels by
irehm In which he again speaks ut
length about the lie and habits of rat
tiesnakes, much less perused works of
science us authority on the subject to
enable him to make logical statements ON
the same. The gentleman has exposed
his own ignorance and may say: "pecavi
mea cuipa," in the interest of truth
which Is and should be our only guide
and aim. GUSTAV JENNY.