Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1895-06-13
huge Ssrpsnts which Frequent the South
American Forests.

Huge ssrpsnts which Frequent the South
American Forests.
A South American anaconda, meas.
uring twenty-nine feet in length, waa
recently taken to the Natural History
museum at South Kensington London.
This is one Of the largest serpents in
captivity; but Mr.. H. W. Bates, an En-.
glish naturalist who died recently, had
heard on the Amazon of anacondas
which were forty.two feet in length
The bulk Of such a serpent is enormous;
and the Brazilian anaconda, Or
Eunectes murinus, is probably the
largest snake in the world. The
weight Of an anaconda increases in an
advancing proportion as Its leugth in
creases; that is to say, snake twenty
feet long would be four times the
weight OF one ten feet long.
These Brazilian anacondas, which
are sometimes called pythons. and
often "boa-constrictors, though they
are not related to either the python or
the boa proper, are not venomous, but
are nevertheless highly destructive
either to man or animals, II they wish
to be. They can easily crush . man to
death, and cases are known in which
they have swallowed human beings.
1t is agreed by naturalists that the
Brazilian anaconda would be dread
full scourRe II its ferocity were equal
to its strength and It's astonishing
swiftness Of movement, whether on
land or in water II it were as rapa-
cious as the Indian python, it could kill
every creature, including man, that is
found in the delta Of the Amazon.
1t is simply impossible to keep out Of
its reach, as it will go anywhere,
along rope, up the side Of ship, or
in at house window. Mr.. H. W. Bates
has related his experience with his
first anaconda. He was at anchor in a
large boat, in deep water, in the An
tonic Malagueita. An anaconda swan
out to the boat, lifted its head from
the water, with 1t broke in the side Of
fowl house on deck, and carried off .
couple OF fowls.
1t was found that this snake had
been stealing ducks and fowls from
that part Of the river for months. A
hunt for him was organized. Miles Of
river bank were searched, and at last
the serpent was found summing itself
in muddy creek, and was killed
Mr.. Bates lived eleven years on the
Amazon without any serious adventure
with the anaconda. A neighbor Of his,
however, who had left his ten-year-old
son in boat while he went ashore to
gather some fruit, heard the boys
screams in the distance, and returned |
to find his child completely encircled |
by an anaconda, which was preparing
to swallow him.
The father leaped upon the snake,
and In his fury actually tore its jaws
asunder and liberated the boy
Like many other tropical snakes, the
anaconda Is brilliant and beautiful in
appearance Its skin Is groundwork
of rich brown, over which double
series of blotches extends along the
back, with bright rings along the sides.
Youths Companion.
why she Anew 1t.
Mr. and Mrs. Sparrow had gone
AWAY for visit with a neighbor.
leaving their children asleep in the
nest. When approaching their home
On their return, Mrs, Sparrow noticed
her little ones scattered on the ground
under the nest
oh" she exclaimed, all in fiutter,
those children have quarreled!"
How do you know" inquired Mr..
sparrow
because can't you see that they ,
lsar