The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-06-12
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SHAKE Den FOR The FAIR.
W. Than 1000 Shiny Reptiles
Will b Exhibited q
Chicago
NJ Do Turned Loose In = Mtnia-
ture swamp and Forest
There.
psaald Earns. = Famous Trainsr' Collect
IN Every Knowns Species 81 serpent
-snaks Charmcrs.

ryV,,ttan for THE HELENA INDEPENDENTLY
-ONALD BURNS, AN ANIMAL
trainer. who spsnt many years u
Nhe employ Of T. 7. Barslm. ysstsr-
aav reoelyed . Communication from the
worlds fair commissioners In relation to .
~ az snakes for the exposition. Ar.
Hurns hss had considerable correspondence
rith Ahe c~ommiaionsrs over his proposed
arhihit 81 from Two TO = dozen or more rep
ans 81 every form that inhabit all known
raolons Of the earth. He was informed yes
asrday that suitable arrangements would b
mads fer his great collsetion Of snakss and
Is would DO given al possible assistance In
nollecting every species Of the reptilian
race. HI proposes 70 make this great den
n anakes, which will b placed in the IA.
Aional history buildinR. one OF The most
sAartlirsly realistic exhibitions ever known.
AIready he has more than fifty different
.naaiee II readiness for tho fair. and his
,.ants are q work all over the world in
oollectino serpsnts in their great variety Of
1ormA.
eyes" said Mr.. Burns, whom I saw him
vesterday at No. ia Roosevelt street. II
nave undertaken by the nc meant easy task
81 supplying svsry known species Of snake
q The Worlds fair. II will b the greatest
collection svsr known, and II will be made
one of me most remarkable exhibitions OF
reptiles ever witnessed. My idea 10 not
alone 10 have the great den of serpsnts in
full view, but also to permit those who de-
aire il TO yiew the snakes at meal time. The
--VAA-l~ - --h>l;nvor. - En- Ahn Do.a.
ssrpsnts possess Of swallowing q prey, the
diameter Of whose body exceeds many fold
that Of their own,w will, if they desire il, be
enabled TO witness this feat.
mot long ago Z naturalist came TO New
York with one Of the most magnificent col
leetious of serpents I ever saw, and I have
had the tho pleasure of Witnessing q great
many. II was this gsntlsman's intention
% taks this splendid collection OF maxi
throsgh the country and give 3 lecture on
~ whatever, and this naturalist who had
1psnt the best part of his life in securing
SD collection Of reptiles and studying the
aerpents OF the world, went broke. He
VA forced TO sell the most rare and costly
q his collection for enough money to
keep the wolf from the door. Now, if he
had gone to Europe his life work would
nave O0Ou eppreCiHsSA AAO ~ WOul0 ~
once have been recognized a. . true natural
lot and 4 man Of science. The fellows who
spin hair raising Yarns about snakes in the
museums and circuses make . living out Of
Il, while the true artist, a. the gentleman I
referred to certainly was. 10 forced to pow
erty because he wanted TO give the pablo
genuine goods. Well, At any rate, l hope
70 be able to interest the thousands who
will visit the Worlds fair by it, exhibition
Of reptiles. Two or more species of every
known reptile will be shown in 4 great den.
'sBut as all snakes do not agree. will it DO
advisable to have them all together?"
"Well, I have not a. yet fully perfected
the arrangements appertaininR to the dis
play of the reptiles in the natural history
building. The idea that strikes me as most
likely to DO adopted is to have q great in
closure of very heavy glass in tho center of
the building. There would be a miniature
lake and swamp trees. rocks and dry sur
face for the reptiles. Now, Of course, ws
would only put snakes in the den that
agreed. The king snake that 10
common to the western and mid
die states. where il is frequently
counfounded with the chicken snake,
which it very much resembles, though its
body il much simmer, would have to be
put in q separate case. This snake derives
It, name fom the implasabls hostility il
attacks confined to the non-vsnomous.
for / once saw a king snake pur-
sue and kill rationale. It
feeds OF rats, mice, frogs and birds.
eome say that it swallows the snakes that
II kill. Ny idea ID to let the public wit
ness the reptiles at meal time especially.
They can learn more in n few minntea nv