Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-05-07
Reptiles from the Four Quar-
tiers oftho Globe.
BAaHum's TRAINER IN CHARGE


New York, May G.--Donaid Burns. al
animal trainer VIM spent many year
in he cmploy Of p. T. Barnnm, ~
ceived communication FROM the World
fair commissioners in relation 10 4 der
Of snakes for The exposition. Mr.. Burni
has had considerable correspopdenc'
with fhs commissioners over hrs pro
posed exhibit Of from two 60 q dozen o.
more reptiles Of every form that inhabil
every known region Of the earth.
He proposes TO make his grenf den Of
snakes, which will be placed In The
Natural History building, one Of The
most striking realistic exhibits eyei
known Alrndy he hhs more than ffty
different species 10 readiness for tho
fair, and lis agents are at work all over
the world IN collecting serpcnts IN their
great variety. o. form.
Yes" mid Mr.. Burns, ~ have under
taken the by no means enSy task Of sup
plying every known Hpefies Of snake TO
the Worlds fur IL win be the greatest
collection ever known, and i will be
made one OF the most remarkable erhibi-
tons of reptiles ever witnessed.
MY idea Is not alone TO have the great
den of serpents In full view. but also to
prrnit those who dcdre Il 90 view the
snakes nt men time. The multitude Of
unbelieyers as TO the power serpcnts
Of whose body exceeds many fold that Of
their own will, II they desire IL, be en-
abled 10 witness this feat
NO MONEY SHOWING SNAKES.
mo- long ago naturalist came to
New York with one Of the mOst inagui-
iiccnt collections OF serpouta ! ever saw.
aud | have lnd the pleasure Of Witness
Ing a gre It many II was this gentle
mans Intention 60 take ilis splendid cot
lesion through the country aud give a
lcc, urc on them But the people dis.
played no interest Whatever aud tiis
naturalist. who had spent the best part
of his life IN securing his collection VI
REPTILES aud studying The sorpents Of the
wOril, wemt broke
He was forced TO soil the most rare
aud costly Of his collection for enough
money 10 keep The wolf from che door.
Vow, " he had gone TO Europe his life
work would have been appreciated, and
be would al once have been recognized
u.s. true naturalist aud man Of
science.
''lhe fellows who spn hair rnislpa
yarns abom snakes 10 the nusenms and
cNise- make a living ONT Of Il, while the
true artist. ~ the gentleman | reformed
to certainly WIS Is forced to poverty b.
onu-e he wlnted 10 give the public
genuine gUpds.
Wei. at any rate. | hope 10 be able
~ iuqercsi the thousands who Mil visit
the Worlds fair by iis exhibition Of req.
ihes Two or mos specics OF every
known reptile win be shown in great
"But a. all snakes do not agree win
u Dc advisable TO have them all To-
Well | have lot as yet fully DER.
fectcl the arrangements nppertnining 10
tho display OF reptiles Ia the natural hia-
tory building, The idea that strikes me
as most likely 10 be- adopted Is 10 have
y, y sfrat en'l9Hnre o. very heavy glass ~
me center Of the building, There would
be miniature lake and swami, trees.
rocks and dry surfncc for the reptiles.
Now, Of course, W. would only put snnkee
" tho den that ngre,'d The king snake
mat IA common to the western and
middle gtatos, where II II frequently son
founded with the chicken snake. which
y very much resembles. though lts badly
Is much Simmer. would hive 10 be MI
" separate case, This snake derives
~ numc from the implacnhlo hostility il
manitests To all other reptiles.
SNAKES THAT Kill. SNAKES.
Nor are It's attacks confined TO the
rou-rcnomuua, for unrc | snw King
snake pursue aud XIII rnttlcsnako il
teods on mice rats, frogs aud birds
some say that lt swallows the snakes
My idea Is TO Yet Tho nnblir ,yjtncsa
the reptiles Al meal time especially Tho,
can learn more IN frw minutes hi prn,,.
teal observation than they could III ren,L.
Ing whole roomtnl OF books ON r,ptilrs
Another species OF snake which NOW
have, and which will moi he plnced
with The happy tnmlly IN the main den
~ reptiles a. TIE fair, Is tho serlout-
Mr.. Rurns exhibited this spr,ies Of
make, which " allied to the cobra very
closely. aud Il almost as deadly. lie hua
lusl secured n pair OF them for the
AR. " 4 an olive hue ON the hack and
mi slul orange below. The female N
! dirty brpwn with cross bands M White
"rhe hamadryns. continued Nh.
hufils, rs very diilicult snake to ss>
'ure. IL y peculiar In that lis Sole foOl
teens 10 be Of reptiles. or which liznrls
aud snakes whether yenomDus or other.
wise. constitute the principal part ID Il
lis prey, u erects It's head very high.
and with q dreadful Kissing expands
The hood, following every motion u III
prey.
AT favorable moment Il launches
nnon aud at tie same time giyra H.
Victim a bite which produces almost Ga.
slant death from poisoning. Tile swnl.
lowing next follows. after which the
reptile Il IN state of coma for a dosen
or more hours. IL does not make M.
other meal for ten or twelve days. IL.
hte y SAID 10 be AZ fatal ~ the cohra's.
nink huuiVlent TO produce death la an
elephant Within two hours after hitting.
Like the cobra Il IL oyiparons, and
las for liz enemies certain blrls thnt
destroy the eggs. and the ichneumon.
which will not only cht the young, hut
does not hesitate to attack The biggest
snake. a fight between the ichncuinou.
generally called the mongo0so, and thr
hnnndiyas. affonls gleht mcmorahlc
for the cunning, warlness and celebrity
OF action aud fcrocity DISPLAYED"
THEY REVERE THIS SEnpENr
The hamadryns frequently nttnlns a
surprising growth, exceeding fifteen foot
The snake now In Mr. Burns strong box
u about eleven feet long. Mr.. nnrna
also hnf IN his fair collection two cohras.
Ihey arrived FROM the East midas last
=. ''rhls dreadful SNAKE" sAld Mr.. Bnrns,
hns large funge over tho Nast Indins.
where u " everywhere regarded ,vith
the horror Of q peslilence, "a feeling most
natural when we consider that not lpss
lhan 5000 persons annually perish from
rs n,te " the Indian peninsula alone.
Tile Htndooa bold This reptile In rev
srence aud resent nny atirmpt nj ia
destruction, In coloring. this rentlle All.
iers materially, according 10 senson ana
locality Most frequently Il 4 OF a deem
phfe ON tho hack. white below, Viii
hooded neck, on which aupenrs fnprkin,rs
somewhat resembling eyeglasses exc,,nf
that tho bow Is longer
hut nHain Il iuny hc hruwn with
nlnok eyeglasses. or the holy u,o. ~.