Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1894-09-01
BOAS in DEADLY COMBAT.
CXCITi;li DUEL FOR A MATE IN
BRAZILIAN FOREST.

u,
TIL" rrrs in the NeigI,borho"d Are FnIcd
viii thattering and Screrching Monkey.
Clever Sparring for an Opening.
Brazil is the home of the most
gigantic boa constructors in the
world said Henry Closer. of NEGRO.
polls, O., the professional snake hunt
cr and dealer, well known to circus
Hnd museum managers throughout the
''dntry. "On my last trip to Brazil
after snakes | didn't meet with the
sLccesS | expected to, but | brought
back one of the best snake stories.
think, that ever came from the land
of Scrpents.
''RoaS. both male end female, often
fight fiercely over prey that one snake
has captured and which another one
coyetS, and at certain seasons of the
year deadly combats between male
boas are frequent, the fight being over
the possession of a female for Il mate
1t was sight such as this that wit
messed one day in the depths of
Brazilian forest. / wasn't out after
snakes that day, either. If l had gone
prepared to capture boas on that oc-
casion | should have bagged two Of
the biggest snakes that ever came
from Brazil or any other land Of
snakes.
Il was out taking a business look
around after some rare specimens of
monkeys. l had chased choice long
taileG fellow up tree and was try
ing my wilcs on him when l was
startled by Il loud kissing sound that
came from another part of the forest
like a gust Of wind escaping from
some narrow space. l looked in the
direction of the sound. and. to my sur
prise. saw two enormous boaS on the
ground. locked together, and writhing
and twisting in such Il desperate
struggle that big punches of leaves
were sent flying about in the air as
If they had been disturbed and lifted
by a whirlwind.
''There are many varieties of mon
keys in the Brazilian forests. and
every one of them is Il toothsome NOR
sci to the boa. Usually a person may
know that one of these great reptiles
has come to hunt in the woods by the
wild scampcrng of all kinds of mon
keys through the trees. flying from
possible capture by the boa. At the
same time, there must be a peculiar
fascination to these monkeys in a
fight between boas, for this particular
battle had not been going on three
minutes before the trees all around
the spot were filed with monkeys,
chattering and screaming enough to
make IA steam calliope player jealous.
"The fierce struggle on the ground
lasted five minutes, and then the
b,as suddenly separated. One SER
p2nt glidcd to ii large tree near by and
went up its trunk like spiral flash
of li.,htning. The other snake flashed
in the same way up into another tree
fifteen feet distant from the first one
| feared that the fight had come to
an end. because one of the snakes
seemed to be afraid and the other
one darcSnt.
"But | soon saw that I was mis-
taken. The snakes had hardly settled
themselves among the branches Of
their respective trees. when. the fOli-
age of both trees began to shake and
uuiver as if a wind were passing
through and agitating them.
'Suddcnly each boa. coiling it's tail
around Il branch high up in its tree.
dropped like Il plummct toward the
-.olnd and hung at full length. it's
head raised but few inches above
bodies swayed to and fro like slowly
tered like fire. Then each serpent
drew itself quickly half its length
above the ground. Like an arrow each
mead shot forward and instantly the
two enormous reptiles were locked in
each others coils like immense cables
twisted together.
dawn fn
writhinS mass moved in quick I'M
dulation. each serpent struggling for
an opening that would place the other
at a disadvantage. Their forked tom
gucs darted in and out of their
mouths like jets of flame. and their
kissing was incessant.
''I'he troops of chattering monkey
spectators had been joined by hun
drrdS of harsh-voiccd but brilliantly
p,lmed birds. which flew frantically
about. and added their excited cries
10 the deafening monkey chorus.
''The desperate mid-air struggle be-
| tween the boas continued for several
minutes. when they separated again
as suddenly as they had rushed to-
gcthcr. and each drew itself back
among the branches of its tree. For
two or three minutes the snakes lay
| quietly each glaring at the other
"Suddcnly in one of the trees hiss
like escaping steam WAS heard. and
the boa in that tree shot his great
| length toward the ground again. The
| challenging hiss was answered by one
| sill louder from the other boa, and 1t
| flashed down to its former position
and confronted its foe. The b0aS did
| not rush together at once. One would
| strike at the other with the rapidity
! of lightning.
/ with equal quickness that one
would avoid the rush by dodging to
one side or the other, and instantly
make countcr-attack. This interest
ing sparl'ing match lasted for at least
| FIVE minutes. when one of the snakes
drcw itself two or three feet above
tho other and made a quick down.
ward feint Its antagonist ducked its
head lower to avoid the stroke. and
that movement was fatal. The upper
boa darted on down, and so quickly
was its deadly intention carried out
that | was not aware it had been done
until | saw the upper snake with
three of its coils around the lower one.
There was dreadful crunching of
bones and in the twinkling of an eye
the victorious snake had drawn the
vnrouished one three folds further
within its fearful embrace. There was
moro crunching of bones, and by de-
g:ees the tail of the defeated serpent
uncolled from its hold on the branch
OF the tree. and at last the great rep
tile dropped heavily to the ground, a
crushed and lifeless mass. For a mo-