The semi-weekly messenger., 1902-11-25

The idea OF feeding rattlers by hand
may appear foolhardy to those who are
not aware that II is the only method by
which the reptiles can-be kept for eN-
hibitiOn in geological gardens or by
4 those who desire TO keep them Tor
scientific purposes as they will not eat
| in captivity.
To think of studying them for scien-
tific purposes may also appear peculiar.
but there is method even to this ap-
perent madness.
1t is a well known fact that the dead
| Iy varieties of snakes are yearly be-
/ coming more scarce and natural
| theory that they will some day become
Il extinct
That this may not be desirable may
| be CLEANED from the fact that ii is be-
| lieved their venom is composed OF two
elements. constituting as salt. which
| will be used as an antidote TO lockjaw,
/ shortly.
One Of the diamond back snakes. own
| ed by Mr.. Burnett, lived for fifteen
months without eating, every effort TO
| rouse its appetite having failed.
1t was this fact which led Mr.. Bug
! nett to attempt feeding rattlers.
Referring to the possible uses OF pois-
| onous snakes. that the deadly fer c.
| lance of Brazil is the only means Of de-
| stroying the rats there which are ruin
| Gus TO agriculturists and planters, is Il
we'll known fact.
Owing to the dangerous character Of
| these snakes, which frequent the sugar
| plantations and attack men without
! warning, the mongoose was imported
/ to destroy them.
AS the rats increased in such vast
| numbers. however, the scheme had 20
| be abandoned.
In tackling q newly arrived rattler.
| which may be at large in a room. Mr..
L " n 70
| until about half length away from 1t
! on the left side. when he promptly drops
/ his only weapon, a stick, on the hard
| point of it's head, pressing it to the floor
| and promptly seiZing the reptile by the
gills, being certain to secure firm
| grip just at the point where it will be
unable to drop its fangs by turning its
| head.
| With the reptile thus grasped and
| powerless, a stick or something handy.
must be pushed down its throat to
quiet it, care being taken to avoid the
| deadly venom which it is almost GER
! tain to be squirting out.
| The real source from which this pois-
| onous fluid comes inside the snakes
| mouth was not, until recently, known.
| and this was due to the extreme danger
| of opening their mouths.
| The poison comes from the fangs.
They are in the upper Of the jaw and
| of cloven shaped.
| The supply of venom is kept in
| little sac, located just in front OF the
| reptiles eyes.
| The fangs are constituted on the
principle of a hypodermic SPRINGS, about
| a quarter of the fang being grooVed on
| the outside, which prevents the blood
| or matter from the animal bitten from
| stopping the flow Of venom.
| When the snake is not angry the
/ fangs fall back into a natural groove
| and are not noticeable.
| With all his daring in handling the
| rattler, Mr.. Burnett admits that he
| would rather have a good marksman
| put a bullet into him than be bitten
| either by the rattler or the fer de lance.
| TT is a peculiar fact" says Mr.. Bur-
| nett, that pigs and also certain va
! rieties of non-poisonous snakes are in
| different to the effects of the bites OF
the poisonous varieties. Pigs eat them
and derive no injury from the expert
| ence'
The average life of a rattler is from
! eighteen to twenty years.
| Many authorities on this variety state
| that they can tell their age from the
| number of rattles which they possess.
| This belief Mr.. Burnett contradicts. He
| saws that a rattler may get three or
| four in one year and then may go two
| years without having any. Again they
| often lost some by brushing against
! shrubs. as the rattles are very brittle.
| Another scientific error which he cor
rect~ is the belief that they only shed
| their skins once year. The reptiles
| which frequent damp places, he states,
| lose them as often IS once month.
| Most people think, said Mr.. Bur-
| nett Snakes can only wriggle along,
| being unable to travel in q direct line.
Snakes have from so to 300 pairs of
ribs and by projecting them to the
| Ground they can go as straight as they
| desire.
1.-THE poisonous snakes seldom have
| more than ten young in batch. which
| are born direct from them, while the
| constructive variety will have fifty or
| sixty in a family, hatched from eggs,
| which they lay in the ground.
| "a peculiar thing about a snakes di-
| gestion is that it commences from the
bottom Of the stomach, meaning the tail
| end.
| THE poisonous snakes found in the
United States are the moccasin, copper
| head and elapse Carroll"
| The former two are known as pit vi
pers because they have a pit back of
| the eyes.
"The king of cobras of India, seen
here OCCASIONALLY in shows, are dead
| ly specimen, but the puff cobras OF
| South America, some of which can be
| found in the Bronx park, are harmless.
1.-The latter are fed on fish and aver
age only about six feet in length. while
the Indian variety reaches double that
| size.
THE pluckiest of all our domestic
snakes is the black snake, and one Of
these will often kill rattler of its own
size. Black snakes will often chase hu-
man beings but their only offensive
weapon is their constructive quality
which, while possibly powerful with j
| cat or small animal. would not bother
| a man or even a child"
| One of Mr.. Burnett's pets at the Liv-
ingston street residence was boa con-
stricter. measuring fifteen feet in length
and weighing 81 pounds.
This little domestic pet used to repost
in a huge barrel in the cellar, which i
about comfortably filed when coiled up
| 1t used to make its way up into the
| parlors a times and was always treat
ed socially by the family.
On one or two occa asiors. when its ir'
| was aroused. the big fellow cole.