The sun., 1891-07-10
A sxAxs oAroHEa,s sroRE.
Hr. j. n. O'Reiliy or Trisidsa Eeeounts
Some or HIS Adventures.

some or HIS Adventures.
An athletlc-lookinR man with closely cut
brown beard and moustaches wnxed to an up
| ward point stood In the small brick building at
the sheepfold in Central Park several morn
inRs ago smoking a cigarette and having fun
with several large snakes. They wriggled
around his arm. pokej their heads into the in
side pocket OF his natty blue reeflng jacket.
| and wound themselves around his neck, Not for
amoment were thess sn axes 1uiet Their many
hued bodies were full OF persistent nervous
energy. 1t was not the style OF amusement
/ that many healthy minded men would enjoy.
Mr.. j. H. O'Reily enjoyed IT, however. because
his pets had been obtained by expeditions full
OF adventures in two continents and weeks
spent alone in the swamps OF the island OF
Trinidad. Although he was born in Ireland.
he looks like Frencs:.sn. Mach Of his life
/ has been passed on hunting expeditions In
South Africa and South America. and his face
has been brorzed by the weather. For four
teen years he has devoted himself to the study
OF snakes. He is now corresponding mem.
Dor Of tho Royal Geological Society. and It is
said that he has thelargost collection OF snakes
in the world.
Mr.. OReilly says that he has never seen q
moro complete collection. He takes many OF
them with him on his travels, and whom he
reached New York several weeks ago direct
from his home in Trinidad, he had no little
difficulty In getting his baggage through the
Custom House. He brought with him seventy
five snakes. representing thirty dist net spe-
cies. and the Custom House officers were not
quite sure Of MAJOR McKinleys stand on
snakes. There was delay OF several days.
and then Mr.. O'Relly took his snakes In tri-
umph to the sheepfold in Central Park. It is
his first visit to this country. but his name was
not unknown to the snake OK pert at the Park,
to whom. from time to time. he has sent speci-
mems.
Whom the reporter saw Mr.. OReily tho other
morning dividing his attention between his
cigarette aud his pet snakes, he was surround
ed by quite family party. There was dou-
bio row Of boxes. with glass or wire fronts.
along ono side OF the room. At one end Of the
line Of boxes were small snakes about the size
Suse@ @ pyhon. with his S hrsd ins apoys abe 1 lis
Gca eSnssfietors pun adders. rattesusEes dt sss
" Amsfe @Ges'er ser do 'nHsss iaaso rSm rSm
tho West Indies. and Q number OF ,oihor
ns Msss sa%a wessp pof lie wns S
iisd ln!sSsd thslrs posSn; HT 6Heily treated
diamond-back rattlesnake with a wire rod,
and rhided the animal gently for being SO
The diamond back moved around In the box.
and ansM cred with sharp. continuous rattle.
rs not hssy
has tts snake charmer: but Mr. O'keily dGes
lis SNAKES not nene for the ns o
other people. but because 1t gives him the Sumo
that misers are to ad i9
eat often and they are the easiest live baggage
to takH eaSs OF that can sarry ar9%Pd
went to South Africa and there continued the
studies in na,ntal history that be pad begun n
there lie ha. c gone t" South America many
times IN snake hunting expeditions He
snake bite. but he always carries "a very sharp
knife to cut open the wound. and then he re-
ss Dn his to SaaS, sak tns s
collection were captured eight months aye, on
.s apns to a9esr vs
ssss %ooa u's SHsa said dHa Mr. seR Rers
Bocas and landed in the bay Of, Amacuro., We
the forests md mountains for snakes. had
con!e from Trinidad especialy y to get South
eomnanions made my he eainuarters at Que
tranta.. After Il few days hunting had accu.
muiated fourteen bags M Of snakes. NY best sport
inx in = yiaer I and take him behind the head. but butt
trees. and swim ike fish. There was large
p.nd Of clear water on the cocoa plantation.
Whole serpsnt l.oDnIalion @ came to dri ak. TWO
Suaniards accompanied me on my chase. and
= long Es eIs tlack and yel.T y" mashste gliding
through tie bushes a. the watets edge;
Msh.A rush.. With lb"'h hands I srippsd r'{ h!@
ant aGet .a % sd ah ns pns my ses
bag. Manuel had discovered anothsr machets
to got u view OF him stumbled over a green
fellow seven feet long: AS FL seized him
the tree. He was colled on a branch about
macbete mac to di Oh into the water ordered joss
to climb the cocoa and shake the branch with
S FL an na night As su'es Is heana a%Gnkss
f. ths trunk sh0sk 4Os maSb.t .hS eranSn With
chung for life When JOSS would stop shaking
the snake would b begin %, to climb up toward the
ing. climbed the tree and crawled out on the
branch where the .nake was clineinR. When
s;$ s !s;s. saS 4 + H. sSyss
IN IN biting Mhns' distance. @ His movemsnts ] Were We're
Hnss IN sS ss ksDns on hanas SEss
Mr. Wh Ss1d ,ms f% i hi .HsS
the leaves fnriously and Struck me IN the face
and wound around pynsek and body in bis
curely. He was captured. but had to hold
him with one hand and slide Tt thirty feet down
now tn. pride Of my collection.
Some Of the snakes In my collection have
obtained in exchange with snake hunters and
majority OF them l have canture1 myself. /
have made Il very thorough study Of their
habits and have handled SO many sn axes with.
out any serious accident to myself that feel
no fear. There is nothing In s2-callod snake
,l,a ,ipr upl m N " n - WASf
and South America that have always been sup
posed TO bs have nr0yvdh v h to Pe hnrm ad
armed with u long iorked stick and Ialr OF
opera glasses That T. good snake az SHsnryS cH1Sntry
tion settle Town and keep quiet. Wheu the
snake appears watch him with my opera
glass rs long rs there seems TO be no chance
OF his escaping from me. and thea capture
hin, with my forke ed pole.