The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-04

with certain amount of cotorous venom.
The poison Of the Yipers is mainly com
posed of a cotorous venom, with more or
less admixture of the cobra constituent.
The cobra and rattlesnake are selected as
typical specimens OF the elapine and viper
families in regard 10 their poison. as the
cobra contains least admIXture OF me
viper or cotorous venom, aud vice versa
The effect of these two poisons is distinct
ly different the cobra venom Affecting the
entire system, reachicg the nervous or
motor centres. with extreme rapidity. ana
leaving only a slight scar TO mark the
wound, while the viper poison acts chieny
by causing modification of the part Dit
sn. which may spread with more or less
iapidity over the entire body. or may only
result in a local affection.
The Power of Nesmerism.
Snake veaom, in its most virulent form,
is only modified saliva. doubtless convert
ed by nature into a specific poison, as
much for the purpose of enabling the an
imal to procure food as for weapon oil
! defence The fact that the blood OF the
reptile is impregnated with an antloote
which enables its TO safely deVour l's
poisoned prey seems to render this suppC-
sition probable. Another remarkable gift
which nature seems to have bestowed
upon certain varieties of snakes is the
power of fascinating or mesmerizing their
victims Although this may appear
rather fanciful idea, some very distia-
guished scientists of the present day are
inclined to admit that there is some
truth in it. and there are cases upon rec
ord which can scarcely be explained in any
other way.
The African traveller, Paul Du Chaillu,
relates a story of an occurrence which
h &c. in "a
Africa. He was a fever conyalescent at
the time and lay upon his sick couch un-
der the shadow of a tree. Gazing up INTO
the branches with the idle but exquisitely
refined senses of a convalescent, he DIS
cerned a hideous black snake lying in
coil upon one of the branches, and at
little distance a bird was perched, I'M
movable gazing into the beady eye OF the
loathsome reptile. The snake and his in
tended victim remained thus for a consid-
cradle period, to the utter wonder of Du
Chaillu who, with agonizing expectation,
was waiting for the bird to fly. he found
himself too weak TO utter cry OF warn
ing and before his horror-stricken eyes
the serpent monster leisurely despatched
the unfortunate little bird. Whether this
was an instance of fright upon the part OF
the bird or the faculty of mesmerism in
the snake is left TO conjecture Similar
cases
upon reliable evidence, and the question
Will probably always remain an enigma,
as science has procured no means OF solT-
ing such problems.
A remarkable feature of the greater part
of poisonous snakes in this country by
means OF which they are readily distin-
guished from the non-poisonous varieties,
is a deep pit or hole found In the rattle
snakes and their nearest relations on the
side of the face, Between the nostrii and
eve This feature has led to the sub CLASH
fcation of the rattlesnakes, cnsins,
copperheads. etc. into pit vipers." The
pit" or cavity, sinks deep into he
naxillary bone, and represents blind"
sac lined with epidermis, which. not being
connected with any of the other cavities
or organs In the head by any inside open
ing or canal. forms another interesting
puzzle for scientists.
When the earlier biologists came to ex-
anime this peculiar structure they, of
course tried 10 identify it with other or
gans already known, some limiting at the
closed nostrils of the fishes, while others
pointed out its similarity in position at
least to the tear sacs'' OF the deer. 1t
was urged. also. that 1t might have some
connection with the poison apparatus. 1t
was plain, however even to those propos-
ing these explanations, that they were not
the true solution of the question and so
most authors have been satisfied with
reference TO the pits as mysterious.
The existence of sixth sense" how
ever. has lately been satisfactorily proTed
in some animals. as the lateral line In
fishes and while, in the case OF the pit
viper, the purpose OF such an organ has
not been determined. It is now the general
opinion among scientists that the pit or
i,d in
there is nothing in vain. One OF the most
dangerous of these pit yipers is the water
moccasin of which II has been said that
il is one of those creatures, naturally OF
a savage disposition, that become tame and
even amiable in captivity. That it is nat
urally savage may be gathered from the
fact that a specimen recently captured and
confined strikes at everything that is put
into its cage, sometimes even, in the eI-
cess of its rage, biting itself, which. ho"-
ever has not the slightest i'll effect upon
its health. When an attempt was made
to place 1t in favorable position for TAX
ing its photograph the reptile struck at
the keepers rod again and again, and 1t
was found necessary TO desist from further
efforts for fear the snake would injure its
mouth in its fury The water moccasin,
which is an inhabitant of the Southeastern
States, feeds principally on fishes. 1t must
not be COMPOUNDED with the true moccasin,
an ianocuous snake which 1t somewhat
resembles and whose only bad trait is a
propensity to devour its mate. should both
happen to be imprisoned together in the
same cage. In fact, all serpents are can
nibals, and cases are known where two
have commenced to deFour each other,
starting from opposite ends and. when
meeting in the centre still continuing the
meal with the inevitable result, however,
| that one Of the eaters was devoured by the
other.
The Comprehend Species.
The only member of the pub viper tribe
which is found in this section OF the coun-
try is the copperhead, some OF the most
notable specimens. now in the National
| Museum. having been obtained In the i'm
mediate vicinity Of Washington. One was
found in the grounds OF the Government
| Hospital for the Insane which exhibits
very marked differences in color from any
! so far obtained. The colors OF the cop
perhead however, are known to vary ac-
cording 10 its age and the locality which
| il inhahits. II is said to be the handsomest
of snakes.
AS nature exhibits no strict line of de-
| narration between any Of her creations.
| but rather merges the different species
! into each other through informed ate types,
so the distinction between the poisonous
and non poisonous snakes cznrot be specif-
cally stated. There are numbers OF snakes
whose bite may prove dangerous, and even
fatal 10 man. but which nevertheless do
not possess any poison apparatus, and there
are others who possess the poison appara-
tus hut whose bite IS only fatal TO the
| smaller animals. Whether in the case OF