St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1904-07-02
SPENT LIFE AMONG SNAKES
Curator Of Reptiles in New York Zoo
logical Park Said to Really
Love Them.


logical Park Said to Really
Love Them.
At an age when most boys are inter-
ested in tops and marbles only, Raymond
L. Ditmars, now curator of reptiles in
the New York Geological park, was in
terested in snakes, not from mere idle
curiosity, but with a genuine interest in
serpents which prompted him to seek
them out and observe and study them,
states the New York Sun.
AS boy he spent his spare hours out
of school, and even his vacation times,
In hunting snakes in the neighborhood
of New York, not to destroy them, but
to see them in their native haunts, and to
collect them Then when his family
had moved from the city to the country,
and it had been discovered that pur-
pose from which it had been endeavored
to Gssuade him was one seriously
formed, room was fitted up for him in
the new house, with suitable glass cases
In which snakes could be comfortably
and safely installed. These cases he
had filled with snakes in two weeks.
He had now somewhat extended his
journeyings in search of snakes and had
taken up their systematic study and
scientific classification. At 10 he wrote
a pamphlet describing the snakes to be
found within so miles of New York,
specimens of all of which he had cap
tured and observed himself. A year
later he was enrolled among the lee
turers of the board of education, deliver
ing series of lectures on snakes, illus
trated not with lantern slides, but with
living specimens. Mr. Ditmars still lee
lures on snakes. .,9 ass 81
Interested always in natural history in
general, Mr.. Ditmars was employed be-
tween 16 and % as an assistant in the in
sect department of the American Mu-
scum of Natural History, being there en-
gagged in mounting butterflies and
beetles; but his pet speciality was snakes,
and he still continued constantly his
studies of this form of reptile life and
his journeyings into the country in
search of snakesss He came to know all
those in the city who have to do with
snakes; snake dealers, snake charmers
and fruit importers who, importing
fruit from tropical countries, sometimes
of these sources hewas occasionally able
to acquire desirable snake to add to
those he had himself collected, until
finally he came to have private collec-
ton of 800 living snakes, occupying,
with the enlarged facilities required for
the safe and comfortable keeping of-so
many, the whole top floor of his house.
And his home had now come to be
rendezvous of artists seeking living
snakes to draw from, or snake enthu
siasts, and of all those having tech
meal knowledge of and making study
Of snakes. The number of these last
was comparatively few, this branch of
herpetology having as yet but a lin
tied following.
Later, Mr.. Ditmars was engaged for
year in newspaper work, and then his
opportunity came. Director Hornaday,
of the New York Geological park, sent
for him, before the park was opened, and
put him in charge of the reptiles there,
these including not alone the snakes,
but the crocodiles and alligators, the
lizards and turtles, and all the other
reptiles as we'll as the serpents. And
there Mr.. Ditmars still remains as cura-
tor of reptiles. II ever a man had found
his true vocation it would seem to be he
He finds his pleasure in his work. In
search OF snakes he makes trips now
further af1eld than ever, to regions
where snakes are more abundant and in
greater variety; and here, with other
reptiles about him, to be sure, he lives
surrounded by snakes, fearing them, but
always holding them, rather, in sym
pathetic regard. Mr.. Oitmars may fairly
be described as lover of snakes.