The San Francisco call., 1910-07-05
SERPENT
MOST DEADLY REPTILE
Big Snake Called Fer de Lance
Has Many Varieties

The warm rays of Old Sol at this sea-
SON of the year not only cause the
trees. shrubs and flowers to vie with
one another in beauty and fragrance,
put call into activity other life-that of
the snake. to which man and woman.
since the garden of Eden period, have
had an Unborn antipathy, says the
Washington Star
EVERY one is perfectly we'll aware
that there exists large number of
Nenomous serpents-we have many of
them In the United States-the rattler,
Tor example. but probably no other spot
In the known world has such death
dealing reptile as has the French island
or Martinique. nesting in the limpid
blue waters of the Caribbean sea. and
where few years ago Mont Pelee in
an outburst of gaseous III nature, sent
$4,000 souls into eternity.
1T is the fer de lance, scientifically
known as "Trigonocephalus lanceola-
tus.' that can lay claim to being the
most deadly serpent of the earth.
There are eight distinct varieties. the
most common being dark gray and
black speekled. which coloring enables
1T to conceal itself easily among roots
and stumps of trees Another variety
is clear, bright yellow, and when hid
den in the freshly cut cane can hardly
be distinguished from the stalks. 1t
y
with yellow belly
1t is not large snake, rarely exceed
ing five feet in length, and in circum-
ference approximately the size of
child's arm. The sting means almost
certain death, and should not the serv-
natives call him, be obtained within
very short time the venom does it's
deadly work-the flesh grows cold.
softens, becomes pulpy, changes in
color quickly begins to spot. and a
great chilliness creeps through the
blood. This lasts only few minutes
possibly half an hour-then death.
If the victim is fortunate enough to
get physician upon the scene post
haste and no artery or vein has been
pierced, there is hope-just a faint
hope. but even if life is saved the dan
ger is not entirely removed-for in
many cases necrosis of the tissues fol-
lows-the flesh corrupts and falls from
the bones, and the body molders as does
a tree.
There is, however, a heroic method
of treatment often brought into use by
the Martiniquians. 1t is the imm ediate
amputation of the leg or arm, if the
sting happens TO be in either. Even
this has to be done at once and before
the venom circulates through the sys-
tenn. There are to be seen today upon
missing, and~in the majority of cases
IT is the result of having the machete,
or cane knife, applied after an expe-
-rience with fer de lance.
The fer de lance is a fighter. Domes
tic animals, with the cat as the one ex-
ception, stand q very poor show in
battle. Pussy, in about nine cases out
of ten, will come out of the scrap with
colors flying, because of the fact that it
is. apparently, quite as quick in move
ment, and at the same time uses what
may be termed ring generalship.
There is but one animal other than
the cat that successfully wages war
upon the fer de lance. 1t is the man
gouste" (ichneumon), imported from
India number of years ago for the
sole purpose of getting rid of the
snakes.
OF the weasel family and looking
very much like 1t, this little animal is
absolutely fearless so far as snakes are
concerned, and will just as readily
tackle one fve feet in length as one
foot long. From the 'mangouste" the
fer de lance will fee, but If cornered
will put up great fight, using every
trick at its command: a useless sort OF
n contest, however, for within short
time it will be stretched out lifeless.