The Washington times., 1908-10-08
APPETITES
HAVE THESE COBRAS
New BoarderS at New York
Zoo Demand Live
Snake Diet.

Two expensive boa-ders have come
10 the Bronx Park Zoo New York city.
They are a pair OF king cObras from
India. which Curator Raymond Ia Dit
mars says are the most deadly OF all
known reptiles, says the New York
Times. These cobras eat nothing but
live snakes. They usually eat two at
a meal Live snakes cost the 700 man
agement $50, even the most common
species. So the weekly mess bill Of the
king cObras would be s.. That IS, Il they
We're fed as often as they are ac-
customed 70 eat IN their wild state
But these two king cObras have eaten
nothing since they arrived at the zoo
three months ago. Curator Ditmars and
Keeper Snyder. OF the reptile house, will
make an effort to procure live snakes
for them
some time ago Mr.. Ditnars arranged
with a number OF farmers living along
on their land al the river bank this
summer. Where there IS growth OF
grass and bushes along the river black
water snakes gather, he says
Goes on Snake Hunt.
Curator Ditmars said that he would
hold a snake hunt soon. The method OF
apture is simple enough. Mr.. Ditmars
md his assistant walk along the river
bank. When they see a water snake
asleep they slip up and Jab a fOrked
stick over the neck Of the snake. It Is
then an easy matter TO grab the reptile
Just behind the jaws and thrust IL into
a bag. There were several hunts Of this
sort last summer, and a number OF
water snakes were added 10 the cOllec-
ton in the zoo.
Although black snakes are plentiful
in the Southern States. there are not
many here. They would be better food
for the cObras than water snakes. but
the cobras will have TO make the best
Of a water snake diet for a while.
In the winter there will be a bounti-
full supply of food snakes in the store
rooms Of the zoo. For in the fall many
snakes come into the park 10 hibernate.
Keeper Charles Snyder is an adept IN
capturing wild snakes, and he gets
most Of them in the Bronx Park.
The two cobras, which are fasting
just now because Of the lack OF food
snakes, are each about twelve feet
long. They are the most vicious in the
collection and are kept in a cage 10
themselves. Their long fast seems TO
have had no effect upon them, unless
1t is to make them uglier than usual.
In the mornings, when there are not
many visitors around, the keepers re-
move the wooden panel in the rear OF
their cage. Inside the wooden panel
is a heavy wire screen, through which
the cobras can get air. The keepers
pass up and down the corridor In the
rear Of the snake cages. The cobras
lunge at them as they pass. They
strike their heads against the wire
screen, only to recOn and plunge again
When the wooden panel is placed in
position, along about noon, the cObras
sulk in the cage, looking at the vis-
itOrs through the heavy plate glass.
Are Good FasterS.
II don't know how long the cobras
will live without food. said Mr. Dit
mars, but they show no signs of get
ting Eeak yet. Snakes are famous for
their fasting power. 1 have known a
snake to go for six months without
tasting food. In their native state the
cobras are accustomed to feed al out
once IN every three days. We hive
tried them with eggs and dead sna x,s
and everything which we give to other
snakes in the collection, but the cobra
will apparently eat only live snakes
Little is known about how the %
bras are captured in India Mr. Dit
mars says. In Singapore, where these
two were obtained. the natives come in
from the country with the deadly
snakes in baskets. They won't tell bovr
they capture them, as Il IS a secret
worth money. While the cobras are
the most deadly reptiles in that mart
Of the world and a bite from one
usually means almost instant death
tie natives do not seem to fear them .