The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-08-10
A DEADLY REPTILE
The Fer-de-Iance the Most Ven
omOuS OF All Serpents.
ITS STING A DEATH WARRANT


yenomous serpents--we have many of
them right here In the United States;
The RATHER. for example but probab bly,
no other spot In the known world has
such death dealing reptile as has the
French island of Martinique, nesting
in the llmpid blue waters of the Carib-
bean sea. II Is the fer de lance, sci.
entifically known as Trigoncepbalus
lancelatus. THAI can beyond the shad.
ow oi doubt lay claim TO being the
most deadly serpent of the earth. Its
sting means almost certain death.
There are eight distinct varieties.
the most common being dark gray
and black specked. which coloring
enables II to conceal itself easily
among roots and stumps of trees. An.
other variety Is u clear. bright yellow,
and when hidden In the freshly cut
cane II can hardly be distinguished
from the stalks. II may also be a dark
yellow or coal black with yellow
belly.
Ii is not large snake. rarely ex-
ceeding 1--we feet in length and In cir
approximately the size of
a chlld's arm. 10 repeat. the sting
means almost certain death. and
should not the service OF a physician.
or ''panseur." as the natives call him.
be obtained within very short time
the venom does its deadly work-the
flesh grows cold. soflens. becomes
PUPPY. changes In color, quickly be-
gins to spot. and great chillinsss
creeps through the blood. This lasts
only few minutes-possibly half an
hour-then death.
II the victim Is fortunate enough to
get a physician upon the scene post
haste and no artery or vein has been
pierced there is hope-just a faint
hope-but even II 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 Martiniquans. IL is the inn
mediate amputation Of the leg or arm
II the sting happens to be in either.
Even this has TO be done at once and
before the venom circnlates through
The system. There are to be seen
Today upon the island many natives
with limbs missing. aud In the ma
jority OF cases II Is the result Of hav-
Ing the maohete. or cane knife. APP
piled after an experience with fer-de-
lance.
The fer-de-lance is dghter-and no
about it-aggressive and pug
and domestic animals. with
The cat as the one exception. stand a
very poor show In battle. Pussy, In
about nine cases out OF ten. will come
out OF the scrap with colors flying be-
rause OF the fact that It is apparently
quite as quick In movement and at the
same time uses what may be termed
ring generalship.
There is hut one animal other than
The cat tina; successfully wages war
upon the fer.de lance, II is the mon
goose dchneumonl. imported from In
lila a number OF years ago for the
sole purpose OF getting rid Of the
snakes.
or the weasel family and looking
very much like It, this little animal is
absolutely fearless so far as snakes
Ire concerned aud will just as readily
Hckle one i've feet In length as one
! foot long From the mongoose the
'er defiance will Gee. but II cornered
vii pu. M great fght. using ev-
Try trick NJ its commando useless
Iort OF contest. however. for within
short time It viii be stretched out
ifeless.
A battle between these two natural
nemies is well worth witnessing. II
5 never a limited" eight. but to n
Inish always, aud probably the snakes
y this time have come to understand |
hat when they enter such combat
is with the odds greatly against
hem.
The mongoose is quite as clever a
ing general us the cat and uses that
AT TO advantage. Strategy more than
trength Is It's asset.
When they meet, and n the snake
ees no avenue OF escape, II prepares
or battle. MS does the mongoose. but
n more lesurely manner. Il takes
bout one minute for them to get fully
repaired There is no shaking hands.
o TO speak. MS by prizedghters.
The mongoOse circles about the rep.
lie. always at safe distance and
drawing Gre" Inviting II by moving
loser and closer 20 dart out It's bead
nd then quickly jumping out Of
arms way Il torments In every
ossiblc manner. cnusing the snake to
hange position time aud time again.
lring Il 10y forcing n strike again aud
gain without ever reaching the OBJ
ective point. At last. seeing its op.
onent at some particular disadvan.
age the mongoose springs forward
ulck ms a bolt Of lightning. catches
nrmly with the teeth behind the
triangular hend-a shake. possibly two,
% mure-and In less time than II takes
D tell u the fer de.anre Is dead. It's
eriebrae severed New York Times
The gods have attached almost M
many mlsforiunes io liberty az 10 ser.
iiudr Monfcsouipu