The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-12

trap before his cage. Seated in nv
arm chair | watched in patience to see
| what he would do. For a time he was
evidently afraid to move, on account
OF my presence, but at last the sight Of
the frog jumping about in the trap so
| eXclted MS appetite that he approach
ed the glass and tried to get at It, As
L continued to sit quiet he became
more and more anxious to get to the
trap. He would often stop still to look
at 1t, and then renew his efforts TO
1orce his way through the glass, even
trying to bite through it, This was
enough; the second stage of his tanning
mad been reached; the instinct of hum
ger had supplanted that of fear l felt
satisfied that he would eat if | could
only succeed I'm acting so gently when
placing the frog i'm his cage as not TO
alarm him.
with all the slowness Imaginable T
crept on hands and knees to the tran
opened the cage softly, and let the frog
mop in from my hand. The creature
remained where IL allghted. fearing in
stlhctlNely 10 make further movement
lest the snake should notice it, The
snake also stayed motionless. but no
had detected the frog and was watch
ing II. | crept slowly back to my chair
and sat awaiting developments. Soon
the frog made a jump. the snake dart
ed open mouthed upon II and held II
kicking in his jaws. He swallowed il
without delay and proceeded at once
TO look around for another.
In giving him the next frog my
movements We're not quite so slow as
they should have been. with the result
that he became frightened and refused
TO touch it, During the night IL re-
manned in his cage, but on arising next
morning | found that he had eaten 1t.
Week by week, after this, as his
fear grew less his appetite continued
TO increase. He found that my APP
preach was only an ordinary and
harmless movement just as a child,
frightened by shadows. comes by de-
grees to lose it's dread of that which
IL hnds by experience will not injure
II. He learned further. that the inser-
ton of my hand i'm his cage. following
the moving of the glass, was nothing
TO be afraid OF. Consequently he ceas-
ed to bite, but still continued to mani
fest some alarm by vibrating his tail.
In November, 1898. he had TO this ex-
tent got rid of his wildness
BY January, "a, he had even ceased
to vibrate his tail when in the cage
but would still do so when outside of
II. especially IL approached when coil
ed In a corner of the room. BY this
time. also. he had so far become used
~ lfdt ne QlQ not hes
ltate TO snatch up his frogs or to pur-
sue his mice in the cage. even though
We're busting about. Then, too, he
began TO permit me TO hold him in my
hands without biting. though he would |
Justify strive TO escape my grasp.
During the spring and early summer |
his appetite grew more lively. so that 1
he consumed great quantities of frogs I
and mice. So forgetful of fear did he
become that by midsummer ne would
come to the glass as soon as | COM
nenced to open 1t. and stay there ready
20 gobble up whatever / might put in.
Towards the end of "a he showed such
fearless greed that he would even
match the frogs or mice from my hand
while in the cage. but could hardly be
Induced 10 take them at all IL taken
he had now ceased trying
o escape when / held him.
In May OF the present year his tame
less had advanced TO what appears 10
'e its finai limit; and have never had