The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-08
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
7 II f r O If A II &C OF
7 II zoo ~ - - ~ -
By G. ]. CORNISH. F. T. S.,


or if he has no missile, he hurls a handful
of sawdust.
There is a record, perfectly true that a
monkey, of one of the reckless, light
hearted varieties, dropped down in a dead
faint on being suddenly confronted with
snake. Monkeys are among the common
victims Of the great pythons. just as birds
are of the smaller snakes. 1t is no bad
plan when at the Zoo to make the journey
straight from the monkeys. the most MINI
bic and volatile, to the house which harbors
the lethargic, but irresistible and deadly
serpents.
DANGEROUS PLACE.
Here you may see them in all varieties,
from the coiled python and sleeping ana
conda to the young brood OF the poisonou.
puff adder, deadly little monsters no bigger
round than a quill.
There is more killing power in a few OF
these slass-fronted compartments than in
the whole of the lion houses. The great
constructors, though not able to kill with
a touch. can outswim the fish. outclinb the
monkey and crush deer. No wonder that
the greater part of the animal world holds
them in such horror that they are either
paralyzed or fly before them. II the size
Of the snake were greater, and their appe-
tite for food commensurate with their bulk.
they would be the scourge OF the animal
world. Happily, neither is the case. They
are not of gigantic size, their appetite for
food is dull and Intermittent, and, though
equipped with weapons of destruction to
which creation offers no parallel, their
presence or absence in a country makes
very little difference to the daily comfort
of animal life. They are all interesting, the
poisonous species perhaps the most OF any.
These unlike most other snakes, are quick
~ reused to anger and excitement. When
a nonpoisonous snake would fly, the poison
Gus snake assumes an attitude Of defense
and sounds the alarum OF battle. Ask the
keeper to disturb the rattlesnakes. They
are instantly in q tremor of excitement
\ Through the glass comes a noise not in
the least like that OF a rattle, but like
hail Of small shot on glass or the rush of
water in a hydraulic pipe. 1t is the rat
| ties" and If these are looked at the bony
| portions comprising them will be seen TO be
in a state OF such rapid vibration that the
intensity Of the sound is easily accounted
| for
| Next to the rattlesnakes, which are not
as fatally poisonous as is sometimes be-
! Iieved. are the deadly snake par excellence
and Of Africa. These are even more ex-
citable than the rattlesnakes. a big, yellow
Indian cobra, with purple mask painted
on the back OF his head. shaped Ike a door
knocker, and his hood all spread, is one Of
the quickest and most voracious OF snakes.
| Whsn striking he is Of course limited by
| the length OF body which is raised erect
above the coils. consequently he 'pecks"
downward That is why he so seldom in
/ jures the booted and gathered European.
The only Indian snake which is steadily
credited by natives with acting on the
aggressive against man, lies next to the
cobras 1t is cobra itself, but four times
the size OF the ordinary kind. the king
cobra Fortunately its chosen food is other
snakes 1t is the snake-eating snake and
| this one lives common-ringed snakes
collected by an old ladder catcher in the
new forest the last of that very specialized
profession.
1t has been found By the experiment that