Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-02-19
SLEEP OF SERPENTS.
THEIR EYES ARE WITHOUT LIDS AND
CAN NEVER CLOSE.

They Are Protected by Strong Seal
Until You Learn How You viii N
Know When Snake Is Asleep-Captu
Ing Puff Adder In South Africa.
One OF the most curious facts with r
gard to snakes is that their eyes are ne,
er closed. Sleeping Or waking, alive {
dead, they are always wide eyed. If "
take dead one and examine it CLOSELY
we shall soon find the reason-there a,
no eyelids. The eye is protected only b
string scale which forms part of th
epldermal envelop, and is cast off /
the piece with that every time the rer
tile molts. This eye plate is as clea
and transparent as glass and allows th
most perfect vision, while at the sam
time it is SO hard and tough as thorough
" to protect the delicate organ within
from the thorns and twigs among which
IN flight from enemies or in pursuit O
prey, the reptile SO often hurriedI,
glides.
When we and other warm bloodeG
animals sleep, our eyelids close to shut
out light, while the pupil relaxes O,
opens. In serpents the action of the pu.
pills is the reverse of ours-it contracts
or closes as cats does in sunlight.
During extensive travels in the wilder
parts Of the world in prosecution Of the
study of snakes have had many inter-
estlng adventures with sleeping ones.
Some OF these encounters had in them a
seasoning of danger, while others were
marked bya touch of the ridiculous, but
all Of them We're amusing and instruc-
tive, too, inasmuch as they showed the
behavior Of the sleepers before and after
their awaking.
shall never forget my first meeting
with large puff adder. one of the most
deadly OF serpents, in Currie's Kloof,
near GERMANTOWN, in South Africa.
Tired and exhausted with the heat of.
the sun, I had descended to the bed Of
dried up stream to lie down and rest be-
meath the leafy trees which shaded it. I
chose spot more than usually secluded,
had taken of my coat and laid it on the
grass, and was about to stretch myself
on the slope with my feet to tree that
was old and decaying, when was struck
by the strange beauty of what appeared
to be large fungus, such as often grows
on ancient trees. It was quite close to
the trunk, between the protruding roots.
1t was colored differently from all the
fungi had previously seen. Deep velvet |
black and golden yellow it was. In form |
1t was fiat and circular and was about 8 |
feet in diameter. Charmed by its Curl
ous loveliness, I approached and stopped
over to examine it. Horror Of horrors
1t was frightful puff adder. At that
time Twas beginner, and knew little
OF snakes except what heard or read.
These dreadful puff adders are undoubt-
edly among the worst serpents in the
world. Persons in South Africa had died
of their bites within the year, and every
one told me that they could actually
Jump backward for the distance of f~sev-
eral feet. For a moment stood there,
still STOPPING, transfxed with fear and
My blood felt chilling in
ny veins. Would he jump and kill me
Is I stood? Knowing well that my life :
depended on caution, I began to move
backward as slowly as could. When
Iot six feet away, felt safer, and then
strange compounds that men are-cu-
iosity conquered fear and I stopped to e
'dmire him. I gloated over his lowell I
less. coveted him for net and deter
mined to captufe him alive. That he
aw me felt assured. His eyes were
pen. I hadn't yet fathomed the secret
f his sleep. 6
He was lying in rat path, evidently
Watching for rats and was too busy to
office me. Trusting that he would wait
here went for assistance and soon re- O.
urned with a companion and a stout v
ole, 8 or 10 feet long. Approaching F
autiously, got this over his neck, and
ressed him forcibly to the ground. To
revent his getting loose, my companion n
lso held on to it. =
BE careful to hold him down." said O
"for failure means DEATH"
We probably pressed pretty heavily,
" both were excited and apprehensive
danger, though fully determined to ir
st him. Trusting my companion to hold M
70 stick across his neck, managed to F
't my fingers round his throat just be-
md the head. I lifted him up. He was
thick as a mans arm, but not more
IAN ~ feet in length. To my astonish- GG
ent he had never moved, and even
w that I had him by the throat the
'1y sign of life he gave was the exer-
On of his double pointed tongue. As m
coat was lying on the grass, and I M
d not wish to go through the town in h<
irt sleeves, determined to put it on, 70
It how was I to do this, holding liv-
g puff adder by the neck? I dared not
ansfer him from one hand to the other, "'
r even to give him to my assistant.
le consequences were too much to risk. "'
he was short though thick snake,
to hold him as had him
d push my arm, snake and all through
sleeve. Ny companion held the coat,
d pushed my clutched fist into the an
eve. As he felt the cloth rubbing ia
ainst his nose, he opened his mouth NJ
i clutched it with his fangs He was
N half way through, but had to pull ".
q back again. He refused to be push Mo
through the sleeve. Now he was thor str
yhly awake, and gave evidence Of it mo
his violent contortions He 1ashed Ke
nself about, opened his mouth in vain
)rts to bite me, and sent the venom
m his mouth in streams over my fin 8,
s. The consequence was that ! had to pla
d him as he was and 60 home in in
It sleeves with my coat thrown over Mc'
arm. He had really been asleep rid'
lie caught him, and only woke up
Wy after I had my fingers olutched N
nd his throat. New York Sun. ave
sett
The Brute.
1oung Wife-John, mother says she
1ts to be cremated.