Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1898-08-26

DEADLY SEA SNAKES.
VILE REPTILES THAT lNFEST THE WA.
TIERS OF THE PHILIPPINES.
Tho Venom Of These serpents 10 More
Fatal Than That of the Cobra aud .
Mere Scratch From Their Fangs viii
Produce Serious Results.
Not only do various reptiles and other
queer creatures abound in the forests
and swamps of the Philippines, but the
surrounding water of these interesting
islands team with yeritable sea serpents.
These strange creatures, which pass
their entire existence in the water, pos.
'sess deadly fangs. They are q great
menace to the fishermen, who arc con.
stantly exposed to their attacks.
| Technically speaking, science has
named the group the Hydrophida.
They differ from the terrestrial snakes
only in the possession of q flat, paddle
like tail. These reptiles inhabit the
tropical seas Of the old world and occa.
sionally attain q length Of 8 feet. DR..
Rudolph Weber, professor of drawing
In Princeton university, observed large
numbers of these creatures while on d
steamer bound for Sumatra. DR.. Weber
vac in choroo of n co;ouk;Ro ~xpo1;&;on
and naturally took special notice Of
them. He says that when the vessel was
some so miles off the coast myriads of
sea snakes could be seen swimming
about as fur as tho eye could reach.
They kept upon the surface, and several
distinct species were recognized among
them.
During calm weather these reptiles
may be seen summing themselves upon
the surface Of the sea, remaining mo.
tionless except for q slight undulation
caused by the movement of the water.
When alarmed, the agile reptiles dive
like arrows, leaving q train of bubbles
behind them. Some species are extreme
~ brilliant in c%oloration, being bright
yellow, banded with black, while others
are tinted with delicate shades of green.
The food Of sea snakes consists entire
ly of fishes. frequently fishes armed
with long sharp spines fall victims to
their appetites. Among these are the
apogous and siluroids, which are fur
nished with spines three and five inches
long. But these do not embarrass the
voracious reptile in the least. Tho VIC
tim is first killed by tho snakes poison,
after which It is swallowed head first.
Tho spines, naturally pointing toward
the tail Of the victim, aud being relaxed
in death, are compressed against tho
body of the fish as deglutition proceeds.
While in search of their prey, sea
snakes sometimes venture q short dis
lance up the mouth of large rivers.
DR.. Weber records an instance where
ho was fishing in ono of tho rivers on
tho east coast of Sumatra. He was using
q dragnet and had cornered a number
Of medium sized fish. AS tho net was
being brought in, two large sea snakes
suddenly madc their appearance inside.
They showed no signs Of uneasiness at
capture, but were hurricdly gobbling
down the cornered fishes. Nor did they
cease operations until tho last fish had
disappeared, when the formidable crea-
lures made their escape.
Being air breathers, the sea snakes
lend u similar existence to tho whale.
Scientists have expressed much interest
as to how long they can remain under
water. Professor r. p. Whitfield Of the
American Museum of Natural History,
while dragging for corals, saw a large
sea snake lying motionless among some
coral growths, some eight feet below
tho surface. 1t showed no signs of fear
and remained in the salme position for
half an hour. Tho venom of these rep
tiles is even more deadly than that Of
tho cobra. The fangs are very short,
and consequently do not penetrate so
deep as the fangs of most serpents, but
only a scratch from them is necessary
to produce serious results. Owing to
their great shyness accidents are very
rare. When cornered, they snap upon a
victim. AS the eyes arc adapted only
for use in the water they strike blindly
when brought into tho air, although
living for days when removed from
their native element.
Many specimens hauled up in fisher
mems nets have been sent to geological
gardens. Tho London gardens even
went SO far as to build a special tank
for their accommodation. But these
captured specimns either die en- route
or q short time after being placed in
captivity. Seeking a dark corner of
their tank, they refuse all food and ul-
timately starve to death. Around the
numerous volcanic islands of the Malay
an archipelago these reptiles are par
ticularly numerous. Frequent eruptions
occur among these islands, which arc
hardly more than the body of the vol
cano.
During the time Of an eruption the
few people residing near by take to the
wator in their boats to escape the rain
Of ashes and mud.
It is generally u case Of jumping
r. /. the frying pan into the fire, how
At such times the sea becomes
comfortably warm from its close
.roximity to the burning mountain,
and the sea snakes swim wildly about
for escape. They endeavor to climb
over the gunwales Of the refugees
boats, while they Irvine their bodies in
great masses about the forward chains.
When about to lay their eggs, these
serpents approach the shore. The eggs
are laid above high water mark and
left to hatch by the heat of the sun.