The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-12-08
ROUND UP OF REPTILES
How Venomous Serpents Are
Caught In India.
QUEER BUT EFFECTIVE METHODS.

Jungle Fires Started and the Snakes Driv-
en- Into Enclosures of Netting, Where
They Are Secured by Adept Natives.
Lively and Dangerous Work.
MenngericS are always in need of snakes,
and rs India abounds in these reptiles
perhaps to u greater extent than any other
country in tho world to India 20 the
managers when their stocks begin to run
low. Snake hunting in India unless one
understands tho trade, is pcrilous bust
ness, for Il larger percentage of tho Indian
scrpontS arc poisonous than in any other
part of the globe, and even II Hindoo has
no desire to die of snake bite nor within
the crushing folds of u constructor Be
sides, however, the demands from the men
ngorics tho Indian government pays q
bounty on snake heads, so there is n dou-
bic incentive to Indian snake hunters, and
when there arc sufficient orders on hand
from the mcnagcrics hunt is organized
on n grand scale.
Preparations are made by asccrtaining
from the natives u promising snake dis
trict, which is usually Il tract of Jungle
with Il mick bamboo or grass under
growth. In such lands snakes arc found
by thousands. and after Il promising patch
II discovered II beginning is made by clear
ing or burning tho underground from Il
strip entirely cncrcling the snake farm;
then broad cXpanse of perhaps an aero
is cleared on one side and there is located
the snake trap Il netting extended for 200
or 300 yards Oh each side of the cleared
tract, its wings gradually contracting to
lead the reptiles into II cul dc sac, from
which there is no escape. Several hundred
natives are assembled, and on day when
the wind is from the right quarter they
surround the district selected and ut II
given signal set fire TO the Jungle. After
the fire has fairly started the natives are
called behind the netting. us there is no
heed of their services OH the other sides.
for every snake tenant of the brush fees
in tho same direction toward tho fatal
netting.
Behind it stand rows of men, armed
with clubs and sticks ready to give their
snakcships q lively reception. AS the fire
approaches the netting the snakes come in
crowds, by hundreds, sometimes by thou
sands. AT the wings the men are concen-
tratcd with their clubs ready to kill those
attempting to escape and as the main
body of the reptiles approaches the netting
the wings are pushed forward toward each
other the stakes supporting the netting
arc driven firmly into the ground and the
snakes are Enclosed. But snakes can climb
almost rs we'll rs monkeys, and so the
men at the wings are kept busy killing
those that endravor to escape over the
ropes At the GU! de sac the netting ex-
tends above as well as on the sides and
the larger portion of the reptiles are final
~ concentrated within this inclosurc
There the scene is one of lively anime-
ton for the snakes are of all sizes. some
of the venomous reptiles of India not be-
ing more than Is or 8 inches III length
and as their movements are very quick
the barefooted beaters are kept lodging
about in Il manner at once grOtcsQuc and
amusing, their anxiety 10 escape the small
serpents that 20 through the netting like
flash being even greater than their
eagerncss to kill Us many snakes rs posi-
bic and thus receive u larger share of tho
government bounty. No snake is permit
ted TO escape, and after all the smaller
reptiles which can work their way through
the mcshes of the net have been killed at
tcntion Is turned to the larger which re-
main
In various parts of the netting there are
loops which can he united and then re-
fastened. and after the slaughter of the
little snakes has been finished the work of
capturing the most promising specimens
begins. The superintendent points at an
anaconda that will bring good price,
and as the animal thrusts its head against
the netting in frujtlcss efforts to escape &
stick with II wire loop at the end is intro
duced, the snake is lassoed Immediately
back of the head the wire Is frightened,
and the future occupant of monagerie
cage, Kissing and writhing, is draSge.