The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-05-10
eomprs..ins the spine srainst the rictIm,s body

compreeaing the spine against the victims body
Sea snakes are oylperous. The eggs ronsr.
ally number about fifteen to TWENTY-FIVE and
snakes seek shallow water in the vicinity of
coral grounds, and are frequently seen with the
Rrehensile tail wrapped around a projecting
waited above the surface for breathing. In this
position they remain for hours, enjoying the
"As 10 the length OF time that one OF these
Creatures can remain under the water scverAl
observations have been made. Prof. X. u.
Wittiels, curator OF mineralogy OF the museum.
observed n large sea snake resting on the hot
tom tn fourteen feet OF water for n hnif, hour.
face for n still greater length Of time. The
venom or the sea snakes surpasses In virility
that ~ most land serpcnts. II Is composed
OF, much the same ingredient rs that OF the
cobra. \ large percentage Is made M OF u
acts on the nerves. attacking the yasnmo.
tor system, causing, inability 70, breathe.
bloodcd animals. and is very effective In killing
the fish, which. constitute their food, Owing 70
swim away at the slightest alarm, accidents to
man are seldom. recorded. a fatal case, how
ish Museum. who says that u fisherman bitten
BY one of the larger species died In less than
II skin of these serpents, instead of being
ehed entire, rs in the terrestrial snakes. pCcls
Of IN pieces. like that of lizards. This is prohn-
bly, due to the scale formation. which is differ
ent from that OF land snakes. The scales nre
proportionately small. and only In a few species
overlap rs in tho terrestrial species. In most OF
the species the broad abdominal shields. so
prominent In most ophidia. which greatly MD
In locomotinn. are absent or exist only in II ruIi-
mentnry state. for these creatures rely on their
fsh.like movements for locomotion.
The young sea snakes, often fail victims to
may, be, ARE preyed upon by sea eagles and
sharks. The sea eagles pounce upon the snakes
Off the blows OF the reptiles. pierce their vitais
with the talons.. notwithstanding these dcprc.
cations upon them, The, snakes exist in great
numbers in the tropical seas. They are most
ABUNDANT In the waters. OF the En>t Indian
Archipelago; Rudolph Weber OF this museum,
while travelling To Sun!atra observed about
fifty miles. of the coast large number u sra
snakes. He says that as far ns the eye could
swimming rapidly in all directions. several
species were observed. while he was on shore.
during heavy gales. many of these reptiles were
the heavy pounding of the waves.
During the great eruption Of krakatoa the
found II necessary to leave that point of the
island on account of the showers of hot ashes
miles away. Taking to the wntcr in boats of all
descriptions with the intention of making their
way along the coast, the 'error-strickcn people
found that escaping from the shore was not
much OF an Improvement. for the sra snakes
that abound in that region. terrified by the
rapidly increasing heat of the sea. swan in
circles about the boats OF the refugees. and, in
their frantic efforts to escape from the heated
waters. tried to make their way over the gun.
wales OF the smaller boats and crawlrd in mum
bers upon the guard chain of the fshing craft.
Mention or a few of the most common species
may be or interest to give II general idea of
the characteristics of the family. one of the
most common species is the hiGmis bico'or.
w hallaEee Pam. II has the most extensive
range of any OF The species. aud is the small.
length. 1t is the species 50 often hauled M
by the fishermen in their nets. and when
captured they, dart rapidly at every NOV
s sHs0, s"tm ar i) SSf'Gs O" Siina. "1 ,nHs SarEH!a5H%rr
i Hxty ''s S"" SSn,atp Of . sir1s'" af; TIN ,I@0 ,a EgnHs
species, and many of them are brightly color"d:
beautiful reptile of a sulphur yellow with Er""i
black rings. IS seen summing its gayly cAiorci
body on the surface of the sea during calm
died in a little over I'VE minutes after receiving
the wound. some of the species OF this genus
body being very thick. while the head and neck
are small. bearing the same proportion as the
little finger does to the wrist.
The species of the genera, irhr0chnrduy, Crr-
Is,lS. anu thnFSrt'hS., prefer tn" fresh water
rivers to the sea. They are common in the
They are siniiar in habits to tine sea glowing
species and never leave the water except to lay
snakes that were captured in a large drag net
%hi!o he was collecting fish. About a dozen
fish were in, the net with the snakes. but heroro
t,hey could be hauled on shore the reptiles had
% lose the tl>I, he Killed the. snakes, and
NEST peculiar OF all of tho family
ilgtr0lhidr is tho ESpttnH. II species re,cm-
bling in habits the preceding. 1t possesses on
the forward part Of the head two long horns
covered with small scales Their use is not
and the Rev. !. q. Wool saws in his de-
OF the snake that they serve no recog-
nized purpose save to bcwilder zo"logists.
Little as has been written ON the habits OF
he SEA snakes, except in IL general way. the on
client work Of Or. \. smith of the British Mu-
,eutn on The Reptile Of British India contains
OF all the known species of HYDRO
lIlu.r, lJE. N rnffS work an thI SrnipS ~ Aus
.ralia gives notes upon their occurrence Oft the
cast. | ntli some scientist takes MP the family
~ q special study we shall know but .itt.u Of
.h'iT WaNf, ana now their name generally stands
or alleeortcal monsters. None of the sea snakes
any external organs If locomotiOn,
kept the fiat. paddle-likc tail. and mono
n length OF over twelve feet. They
ire not found in temperate regions. Thus the
tories of sea scrpcnts ct saventy-nve feet or
more in length, with fins like T. Roman galley,
ltiier originate from distorted lmnginntions on
'cncern creatures entirely new to science"