New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-10-29
BoA-CoNsTRICToRs BATHING.

HOW THE sERPENTs ARE WASHED IN CENTRAL
PARK-sTRoNG ENOUGH TO CRUSH HORSE.
In the basement of the Arsenal in Central Park
yesterday morning a portable zlnGbatn tub was
filed with sieamlng hot water The tuD was IN
small apartment. the ar of which was heated by q
sbouIdered Keepers brought into the room,
under the direction of Dr. COnkiln supelIn-
tendent OF the. menageIle, sguare w o1 zen
wafer to blood heat one of the men opened the DoN
and disclosed what appeared mass OF serpehtS
cOiled on the straw within There were two boa
constructors in the box, but IN the confined space
there seemed TO be dozen. One OF the Keepers
after wavy movement caught the smaller OF tn9
snakes by the back OF the neck below the nepl ana
lifted it from the box the other keeper sezlng tne
Shiny body as it emerged and giving 1t twist rs u
it were a cows tHl. The snake, when
rs ten feet long was quickly placed in the w arm
water. The one that remained IN the box showed
an inclination to resist such unceremonlous tieat-
,nent He raised his head above the ild or tue
box, his green eyes g eamed hercey ana his forKea
tongue darted ont in threatening manner But
in an unguarded moment the snake was seiHe1 ny
the back of the neck and was placed win MS com
pauion IN the batb-tub. The larger snake
Is nearly fifteen feet long, ana his BODY
is as thick as a mans arm. Once in the water they
coiled around each other gliding and fro III per-
feet content. DR. COnklin explained That II Is
necessary to give the serpents BATH every lew
DAYS They athe of their own accord when In Il
Gaze but these had been boxed up to send away.
In its native climate the boa Is al most an aquatic
animal, living on the borders OF streams ana re-
manning in the water fol h>urs. IL Is HoI
n POISONOUS snake, hut II bites severely ana one OF
the Keepers showed a scar that he
had received IN the hand from the teeth of the
larger snake. These boas know the sound of the
keepcrs voice. but they object TO being handled
although perfectly safe long as held by the meek
and not permitted to get coil around ANYTHING
with their tails In that case said Or. COnklln
the strength of their embrace would crush the
ribs of horse" .,
The head of the larger snake is not bigger than
n persons open hand" observed the reporter l
should not think he could swallow large mouth
full" -, ri
Appearances are deceiving." replied DIR. Conk-
lin "Ihe lower jaw of the snake Is capable OF
great distensOn IL slips from the socket as nc IL
swallowing to admit the food, and will stretch sew
eral times its apparent size. This large boa Is the
one that broke from bis cage and escaped some time
ago He got into the holes under this old building
and it was three months before we captured MN
again. That scar you can see on nm Is
where he got too close to the hot boler.
A large fat pug dog belonging TO one of the men
strayed under the building one day and was never
head of again. He n juicy m0rsel, ana
probably kept the snake alive while he was III
hiding 49,
BY this time the snakes had remained long
enough iii the water. They were caught again Nv
the keepers transferred TO the box aud covered
with several flannel blankets. The box was then
closed and placed near the boiler where the snake
could dry at leisure without danger OF taking coid