The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-02-17
THE CANNIBAL SNAKE.
As Described by n Man With a Fer
Vid Imagination and Hot Pen.

From the Cincinnati Post
The Cincinnati Zoo has a cannibal snake
The fact was discovered Saturday, when
his snakeship was caught in the act.
Supt. Stephen some months ago placed
in one of the large glass cages used for rep
tiles in the carnivora a lot of about twenty
five snakes of differera kinds. There were
a couple of Florida gopher snakes and a
number of house snakes. garter snakes.
black snakes and others.
Besides these there was a fine specimen
of pine snake. seven and one-half feet
long. The pine snake is a cream color.
long and graceful. and made a striking
contrast with the glossy blue-back of the
gopher. Some months ago one of the
house snakes disappeared. Supt. Stephan
asked the keepers about the disappearance
but they could not account for it. About
two weeks later another house snake dis
appeared. One after another the house
snakes disappeared, but no explanation
could be had.
Recently it was noticed that the garter
snakes We're decreasing in number, and
one by one they disappeared The super
intendent took young. Meyer, the son of
the old keeper. and who was a new hand.
to task for his apparent neglect, but Meyer
maintained his innocence.
"Well, they don't evaporate, and they
are disappearing one by one" said the
superintendent.
In time the garter snakes all disap-
peared and the black snakes began to take
their departure in the same mystifying
way.
Stephan made a careful examination of
the glass cage for about the twentieth
time. but could find no place where they
could escape. The air holes were all COW
cred with wire screens and the traps for
feeding were in good shape. This was
about two weeks ago and Stephan was be-
ginning to think that the keepers were
more careful. Saturday morning he walk
ed up to the cage and this time the cream
colored pine snake was not in sight. The
gophers were twisted up in coil in one cor
ner, but the pine snake could not be seen.
He called to young Meyer;
where is that pine snake?'
Il am sure 1 don't know said the
young keeper. as he came forward to the
cage.
you let him out when you tended them
this morning"
mo. he was there then, and left him
there"
''Well, if he was there then, and amt
there now, who else could have let him
out?'
Il am sure ] don't know He may be
there now. twisted up with the gophers."
Meyer produced long pole and reached
with it into the cage. He turned over the
roll of snakes.
There he is" he cried, as a flash of
cream color lit up the dark background.
He yanked the pile out to the front of the
cage, when d queer sight confronted him,
which solved the whole problem. But one
half of the pine snake was visible, and
that protruding out of the mouth of one
of the gophers.
''That gopher is a cannibal," said Ste
phan.
Yes, and that is how the snakes have
been getting out of the cage without
my letting them out" said Meyer.
Haul them out, and let's try and save
the pine said Stephan.
The hook was thrown behind them and
gopher and pine snake were dragged out
into large tin pan. 1t would not do to
make a pun on the tails of the two snakes,
as that would break the fangs of the go
pher and prevent his feeding. Stephan
then took a lead pencil, and with it pried
open the gopher's mouth. He then insert
ed another pencil behind the fangs and
pulled out the pine snake. They were then
placed in separate cages and fed upon a
liberal allowance of milk. For a few hours
1t was doubtful if the pine snake would
get well but he revived in the evening,
/ and is now out of danger.
The cannibal is now kept i'll d cage by
himself as an especial attraction. The 60
CHER is Il foot shorter than the pine snake.