The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1900-04-21
A SEA Or SNAKES
ahle sight witnessed By 3
GaTernment OHcfaI in the
PhiIinpinea.

~+8Ml NphAMen9eM hE
GeFernment OmcfaI in the
Philippines.
a most remarkable story that hal
eane Washington from the Philip
pines ap to date has been brought bael
George +. Becker, who was sem
government not long ago Il
and report upon the geology ant
ai resources OF the archipelago
tale of snakes, and, guaranteed
q by the asseveration Of SO dis,
lished scientist, it may well ex
interest. For, whereas hitherto
pents have frequently figured in
opular narrative by dozens or even by
hundreds, DR.. Becker describes those
e saw as swarming by tens Of fnou.
sands, over vast areas Of sea in the
midst Of cur new possessions. But il
ha best to let him speak for him
vas going By steamer" he says,
gebu to Jolo, M route lying
the sea of Jolo, and i estimate
pa our way we passed through
90 miles Of snakes. 1 watched
yer the side of the vessel, and
med to be no end to their num-
course, it is impossible to
uess worth having in such q
at by a simple method of com
have reckoned that there
& 5000 serpents to each
sq e As have said, we passed
tn miles of them, and if the
as broad as it was long, one
son the entire number Of
100000.
heard of these. sea ser.
pe @ swarm in eastern seas.
sHi the surface when it is
GEM Gulf Of Siam they are
lou h numbers that vessels AT
Rhca monly thread their cables
TIRE rels to prevent the rep.
tAle elimeing up the, ropes and
eo They are true snakes
ana enomoUs. In fact, they
are most dangerous Of an
sna numbered among The
han ai1 deadly serpents Of
Chat world. "A. bite inflicted
ay on as surely and swiftly
fatal dreaded cobra, Fur
therm very fierce and ag
ftack human beings
Aene hance. Fisher
men n f them are eN.
ceedinn A5 ererriss
More than so species of the hydro.
phis, as this family of venomous
water snakes isk ealled, are known
to science. one of them
is deadly. TheS found in the opeD
seas, not frequentrng the shullows. Oc.
casionally they are seen in the tidal
rivers, and now and then they arc
thrown up on shore BY the current
They seem to be very delicate, and sci.
dom live long in captivity. Those ]
saw were three or four feet long. but
understand that some of them attain
a length of six feet or even more. They
exhibit considerable variety Of form
Some are distinguished by very long
necls and small heads, while all have
tin-like tails. Their bodies are much
fiattened toward the rear end, so as tc
enable them to steer better. Those ]
saw were black near the head and vel.
low on the belly, the black and yellow
combining in a very pretty checker pat.
tern toward the tail.
''Ihese marine snakes have long
been regarded as curiosities by natural |
lists. 1t is probable that they use their |
deadly venom to kill the fishes on which |
they prey. Their bodies are. filed al.
most entirely by their lungs, which are
of great size in order that they may be
enabB to stay under water for a long
time. Air eyes. are modified for see
ing in t ater, and so, when taken oul
9f their ural element 1hey seen
blinded and strike tiercely at every,
hing. Their fangs, like those of the
,obras are always erect st. Louis