The morning call., 1893-09-10
THE GLASS SNAKE.
He Does All That Is Claimed or Ex-
perts Are Deceived.
PhlIadelphia Press.

Philadelphia Press.
The employees of the Geological Garden
and number of welI-knOwn savants who
are interested in natural history are puz-
Zled over the conduct of one of the snakes
in the garden. They have been studying
this particular snake since Wednesday
last, and have come to the conclusion that
there are more things in nature than they
wot of, and are now prepared to believe
almost anything that is said about the
apheo-Saurus ventralis or glass snake"
This particular species cannot be
classed with the snake family, for their
nature and habits lean more to the lizard
family; but, just the same, the apheO-
saurus ventralis is known as the glass
snake" and his strange conduct breaks
himself. as we'll as those who are Interested
IN him. al up.
Last Monday the keeper noticed that the
glass snake, which is IN one of the eases
near the entrance to the reptile-house, bad
become sluggish and did not care for the
small things of life. He kept his eyes on
the reptile until Tuesday and he noticed
no improvement. Wednesday he came 10
the conclusion that some thing was wrong
ana determined TO investigate. Accord
lngly he raised the lid of the case and put
MS hand on the snake. There was no
movement TO denote life. and the keeper
picked IL up and almost instantly the snake
became animated. 1t wriggled and
squlrmed and finally fell to the stone floor
with crash. The keeper heard the noise
and realized that the snake had tumbled,
but he could not understand the cause of
the crash.
His mind was soon settled as to this,
however, for he saw the glass snake had
broken into a dozen pieces and each section
was moving about as if it had head and
tail OF its own. The keeper was aston
lShed, but did not lose his presence of mind.
and fastened 20 gather up the pieces
Some OF the middle sections, however, had
wrlggled under a pile of stones, while
others had burrowed in the dirt.
There was nothing to do but to put the
pieces that could be found together This
was done. The keeper knew that the
glass snake lived for long time with only
the head and body and a small piece of
the tan attached, and he was not much
worried, so he said nothing about the ac-
cldent. He put the snake back in the case
and went about his business.
Thursday some fri ndS called on him
and the keeper related his experience of
the day before, and his friends laughed.
they thought he was joking To show
them that be was in earnest the keeper
allowed them to handle the snake aud ex-
anime the new joints. One OF the visitors
more clumsy than the rest let the snake
fall. and to the CONSERVATION of the entire
party IL broke in half, and the tail END of
the glass snake wriggled over TO the pile
OF stones while the other half made for the
soil under the case.
Here was state of affairs that was not
looked for. and for more than an hour the
keeper hunted Tor the TWO sections of the
glass snake, but in vain. That night he had
but It'll sleep. He saw snakes all the
time. In the morning he went to his
duties with heavy heart.
About 9 o'clock Friday morning. while
cleaning up the house, the keeper dis
covered the glass snake making a meal
Oh spider and dozen flies that had
been caught IN he web under one of the
cases, and TO his great astnnishment and
delight the snake was almost whole and
intact. All the sections save a small
Lleco OF the tail hads come together
The snake was placed in the case, and
soon became lively. No trace of the glass
snakes tail can be found, but it is said
that 1t may a pear some day with q head
and body attached, and if it shows itself
In the garden will be- captured.
Reference to natural history shows that
the glass snake is found in all of the States
east Of the Mississippi River and south of
the ONO. in dry, sandy places. While it
may be classed with the lizard family. il
has no feet, and its tail is as fragile as
glass, from which fact it gains its name.
Its color is green, lined with black, and
the under side is yellow. The tail is
twice as long as the body and Is cviin-
drlcal. The vertebra is poorly articulated.
and MS accounts for the extreme brittle
ness OF the reptile and its readiness TO fall
In pieces when shocked ViOInptlv