The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-09-26
Chicago Tribune.


A large python at the New York 20
illogical gardens has, until recently, not
touched food for more than a year. 1t
was actually starving to death. Live rab-
bits, pigs and chickens were repeatedly
offered it; but it scorned to touch them.
AS the. snake is misunderstanding been
brought from India at great expense-Pro-
reptiles for the New York zoolosiea1 SO
ciety, determined to resort to drastic
measures.
He decided to force the snake to eat.
But hungry snake, twenty-seven feet
long, twelve inches in diameter and
weighing nearly 300 pounds, is not the
most tractable creature in the world, and
the question of forcing the python to
take food was a momentous one.
Professor D1tmars, however, has han
died snakes of all kinds for upwards OF
twelve years, and he attacked the py
thon problem with much success. He has
forced the snake to eat on several occa-
sions already, and 1t is even beginning
to take an interest in artificial food. The
curat or hopes the python will soon begin
eating OF its own accord, like the rest of
the snakes which he has taught to take
geological rations.
Snakes Are Particular.
The history of Professor Ditmar's ef-
forts to make snakes eat is interesting.
When a large snake is first brought to
the geological gardens it is placed in a
cage and allowed to remain quiet for a
week or two. Usually it lies dormant
for this length of time.
When it begins to manifest an interest
In Its surroundings, food is offered 1T
in the shape Of a plucked chicken on
which the head and feet are allowed to
| remain. The chicken has to be absolutely
fresh. Snakes are extremely fast idious
| in the matter of food, and, should the
meat be the least bit tainted, they reject
| it at once.
AS every one knows, most snakes are
| fond, of young birds, and the plucked
chicken is offered at first because 1t re-
| sembles bird just out of the egg.
In the snakes delicate tongue seems to
reside all his sensary organs except that
of sight. The snake whips out his tongue
with lightning rapidity, and ascertains
whether or not his food is fresh. 1t his
preliminary investigation proves satis-
factory, he goes ahead with his meal in a
leisurely fashion.
| The chicken is swallowed whole, as
snakes do not masticate their food The
kpowers of accommodation possessed by
| their jaws. however, is something mar
velous. A snake can easily swallow an
animal four times It's own diameter. In
! fact, boa -cona rictors manage to get into
| GAHSN NNNA ~>NNN
| other large animals.
In killing their prey in the native state
they construct it tightly in their folds un-
| til all movement on the part of the
doomed animal ceases. The popular idea
that they first crush the bones before
beginning the swallowing process is err
roneous.
| Even Bones Are Dissolved.
Professor Ditmars has observed some
remarkable phenomena in connection witt
the digestive powers of large snakes. II
seems that the gastric juices of theil
| stornechs are so powerful that they dis
solve even the bones and teeth Of the
animals they have swallowed. A peculiar
fact is that, on occasions when the snake
has accidentally swallowed one Of it's owl
| teeth, the tooth will be found undigested
Whereas, the teeth Of it's prey always dis
appear in the snakes digestive process
When a valued snake at the New Yorl
400" refuses to take kindly to plucket
chicken, and lets months roll by withou
any evident intention to eat, no matte
how enticing the food which is Offered
| it may be, measures have been taken t.
prevent it from committing suicide. Usu
ally, large snakes are placed in cages wit
several others of their kind. 1t is a diff