The evening times., 1899-10-09
THE HABITS OF SNAKES.
Expert Allen $. Williams Delivers n
Lecture on Reptiles.

NEW YORK, Oct. 9.-Allen S. Williams,
an expert in things relating to snakes. has
delivered most interesting lecture on the
habits and peculiarities of various reptiles.
He has several hundred specimens in his
possession. Mr.. Williams exhibited ia
nous bull SNAKE variety that is now
nearly extinct. When he took the creature
from its cage it emitted a diminutive roar,
not unlike that of a bull. II had hard
point at the end of its TAIL and its heal
looked like that of turtle. The snake
sent out black forked tongue, which pa =
ed about Mr. Williams collar like forkei
lightning, and finally brushed along his
chin.
This specimen" said the lecturer, lis
the Pituophis melanclecus, or pine snake.
He will do as well as any other for pur-
poses of illustration. To begin with, his
tongue, which darts out, is not a stfnger.
No reptile on earth has a sting either in
his mouth or at the extremity of his ia /.
The snake derives most OF his impr esslons
from his tongue. The tongue serves the
most delicate sense of touch
IF the creature finds by protruding his
tongue that there is resistance OF any kind
he will not try TO force his way. A thirty
foot python might be imprisoned indeh-
niteIy by surrounding him with frame
covered with tarlatan. The snake has no
ears, his eyesight is deficient, and he is
very dull about some things, but his
tongue is his constant guide and monitor.
Snake sight is quick in one respect. 1t
can detect moving objects. The rattlesnake
will strike anything which moves before
him.
If, when man came suddenly upon one,
he could stand perfectly still until the
snake gets over his fright, there would be
little danger of serious consequences.
mo reptile has any idea of size. He will
attempt 10 swallow objects five or six times
larger than he is, and sometimes he sue
ceeds He will stick to an unequal task in
the swallowing line for a whole day before
giving 1t up in despair.
Recently my attention was directed to
a remarkable illustration. A small snake
of mine caught a toad and attempted to
make dinner of it. larger snake swal-
lowed the diminutive reptile and the toad.
Now, not wishing to lose a specimen from
my collection, | extricated the smaller
snake, which was still industriously trying
to swallow his prey. The toad escaped and
was consumed by third snake. The other
two reptiles retired to corner of the cage.
and after apparently holding an indigna-
tion meeting made a combined attack upon
me.
1T has often been asked said Mr.. Will
Iiams. have snakes affection for their own
ers? Science teaches that they have not
Yet here is my household pet, Richelieu
one of the largest and most perfect of the
corn snake kind. He knows when l enter
the room. He raises his head and salutes
me- If l sit down to read he reminds me
of his presence by crawling into my lap,
He seems to know me and all the members
of my family. He will lie on the floor
watching me, and follow me If I5leave the
room. Rattlesnakes are not so affectionate
Right here / wish to correct an erroneous
report that trained rattlesnakes take the
place of alarm clocks In my house.
Filling a man full of whisky is not q
panacea against rattlesnake poison" con-
tinued Mr.. Williams. THE wound should
be opened after the member bitten is liga-
tured, and then the blood may be sucked
out with the lips. The ligature is the most
important thing. The wound may be cau-
terized or treated with solution of per-
manganate of potash. A teaspoonful of a
per cent solution of the permanganate ta-
ken at intervals has been found valuable
when taken internally by victims Of rattle
snakes"