The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1895-08-08

IOI oualySIS. IL pAe WV Se',
peatedly without yielding any, and on
examination was found to have none
to yield, not only it's fangs but the
poison glands having been eztirpated:
4 protective operation still more cruel
is sometimes practiced by noVlces IN
the art of charming, and consists IN
securing the mouth with stitch OF
silk passed through the lips in front;
to perform this, the poor beasts head
is held tightly pressed to the ground
hv q short stick on which the foot
rests, while the other foot restralns
the writhing body, leaving both hands
at liberty for the needle. Eleven ap-
parently healthy cobras were on one
occasion received at the London Zoo
logical Gardens. They refused to
feed, and grew thin. When one died
it was discovered that its mouth was
sewn up with stitches so fine as to be
invisible to any but the closest scru'
tiny. The rest of them did we'll on
being restored to their normal con-
dition.
In connection with this subject, l
NAV mention that rattlesnake Was
sent to me from up country when }
was in Demerara, with the history
that it had killed coolie on one OF
the plantations. It had been badly
injured about the spine, probably III
capture, so that on reaching me 1t vas
not only dead, but decomposed, and L
was not able to make any complete
dissection; but I found that its lips
were tied together with stitches
viously the effort of an unpract1ced
hand, since the work was very coarse.
This had apparently been preceded by
m unsuccessful attempt to extract the
long, erectile, needle-like fangs, for
one of these was twisted half round
with it's bony base and had penetrated
the lower lip when the jaws were
forcibly closed. 1t is hardly possible
that the duct was not occluded, but
enough venom must have remained
within the tube OF the tiny, delicate
syringe to indict fatal scratch.
The only implement I ever employ
is a very soft brush. and that 1 use
but seldom, and with one species only,
the lance-headed tree-boa Of tropical
America, probably the most persist
emily savage serpent in the world as
ready to fly at the most familiar lace
or hand after years Of association asst
was at it's original captor. 1t grows to
about seven or eight feet, and is OF
slender habit, though powerful con-
strictor, but it's teeth are longer IN
proportion than those of any other
non-venomous snake, while its enor-
nous fat head and absurdly thin neck
give it as malign and lll-favored an as
pect as pertains to any Iof the race.
Four large specimens and five babies
born on the voyage, little fends, all
have just reached me from the West
Indies. With the small ones, an old
shaving brush receives the bite as we'll
IS anything; for larger ones, q picture
brush or feather broom clipped some
what short is more suitable, for ones
object is not to hurt the snake in any
way, but to disappoint him, and teach
him the vanity of earthly passions
when he dashes furiously into the
yielding plumes and finds nothing
there.
A course of lessons of this sort
sometimes serves to impress upon
them the futility of assault end bat
terry, and reduces the probability OF
their future efforts in that line to snap
when they are touched or suddenly
disturbed. Most animals can be turned
by brush il geological collections
the attendants who clean the cages
find that crocodiles, big birds, cats
and other unpleasantly demonstratlve
creatures can be kept at bay with such
q weapon, where sticks, whips or
crowbars would be useless, just as
large beasts are cowed most effectually
by that real yet mysteriously intangl-
bic and un6ghtable foe, a jet of water
from the garden engine. -Chambers's
Journal