New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-08-06

TIL, curator of reptiles III the NEW
York Geological Park has succeeded eA-
ceptiar1aiIv wen III producing WORK
thar :s both scientific and popular
what NAV he called the human in
terest is nowhere lacking in these pages
devoted 10 a class OF living things the
>s.Ft OF which arouses in so many peo-
nIe an instructive, unreasoning disiike
or fear Beauty prevails IN nature--i
not beauty OF form and coiorihe' al
least beauty OF adaptation TO environ
Tnsnt and conditions OF existence-but
there is a great deal OF physical beauty
TO be observed among the eartas rep
.i,ia If nr,1ple vii: only lay aside their
1,rsi,,afce and look No better place can
he round ID rest tire truth Of this state
-r.nt than the reptile house in the
New York Geological Garden 1t viii
arousA In many a desire 70 read this
>,,ote EVEN as reading OF this book Will
laso one 70 visit the collection with
understanding eyes. OF the two hum
drzd illustrations from Mir. Ditu1arss
own photographs not enough can be
said They are the work OF an expert
photographer who is also an expert
zooloEist. They are an integral part Of
the text down to their minutest details.
Mr.. DitInars is too conscientious
scientist and curator 10 display fayorit-
ism among the four orders OF reptilia,
out there Is TO doubt about the fact that
ne has tender penchant for the snakes,
perhaps because it is they that most
need defence against popular misconcep-
tons and suspicious He takes partfcu-
lar pains to separate the poisonous sin
ners by a degree OF aature-a small
niaority-from the harmless ones that
suffer so much persecution for their
sake. in fact, he is constantly con-
cerned with the spread of a correct
knowledge of the habits and ways OF
species, in consequence Of which the
American reptilia receive more eX-
haustive treatment in the text, while
those of the Old World are more album
cantly represented in the illustrations.
Detailed charts are given showing the
classification and approximate number
OF species among all the genera OF rep
tiles found in all parts of the world
Suffice it, for the purpose Of this re-
view, to state that Of the world l,'op
species Of snakes III are found in this
country. seventeen of them being poison
GUS. Of the reptilia I'm general Mr. Dit
mars says:
4 great number Of the living reptiles are
esenerating-adopting SubteTraneouS nap
IT'S with consequent loss OF eyes ana
ears. Others have become sfestIE spscissi-
ized in the development of adhesive dlSitS
with which to climb, or wonderful lnstiu-
ulents for the injection OF = deadly virus :
}, ron
some Of them have gradually swung INTO
Secretive habits producing an incongruous
mixture Of degenerating form. ATTENDED pE
various highly specialized processes
one Of the four orders, RFgRchocephdt'd,
hy the way. is represented by single
srecies inhahiting New Zealand. it is
one of those rare Survivals from the
paleoI,toiogical past. immune, it app
,,sars. TO the Transforming force of eTo-
luton
The readable quality of the book
ter7apts TO constant quotation. There Is.
for instance, balm for the feelings OF
sentimental zoophilists in the informa-
ton that the exhibition OF green turtles
or their backs in our markets is an act
of understanding Kindness. and not OF
cruelty. The green turtle. living III
water, mas no nee1 8l a StlciiSJ liSfSh
''pla stron'' or lower shell, as its weight
Vi only rests on it during the brief periods
when the female comes on shore 20 lay
it's eggs. IF placed in a normal position
on q hard surface the reptiles weight
would press the pIastron up against its
internal organs, causing speedy death
Those who have been much puzzled to
know the difference between alligators
and crocodles may learn here that IT is
MI 2 VERY important one. The aiilsa-
tors head is broad, with a oiuniB
,,o,,pa4a snoYt. the crocedfle's triangu-
lsr with q taperirg snout, aud that
is about all the lsynlan needs 70
know. Mr.. Ditmars's photograph viii
inlprint the distinction on the mind
heyond forgetting. To Offset many
sensational stories, it may be We'll 10
add. on our eutIor's authority, that
the American species are particularly
inofYensIve. though very large specl-
mems might be tempted 10 make q
meal of a man who goes in bathing
among them Also. stories Of their size
are 70 be taken cam gTdHo salts when
they reach beyond sixteen feet. The
n1SSlIn0lIl VI NAA
oil5dac is thirty feet
The lizards. honestly speaking, cannot
bsast. most OF them, OF physical beauty
hut they have many interesting ways
not the least of them being the ability
o. some TO escape capture by leaving
their tails in the hand of the collector
or the Jaws Ct a snake:
There is q quick twist, and instantly the
rnske is buS.'v engaged In SupdulnS "!!dN
this is what has happened IN that tN.lslnis
movement the lizard mas sE,appec on US
,zsl The muscles OF the discarded mem ser
na7a been thrown into state OF tsfeat eA-
,f4ahility-evidently a provision OF hatuft-
ATeary.FIle. an abbreviated lizard has, IN
1e, cover OF the excitement occasioned py
1te antics Of the tail Sli1ed sly!y IOr d SAFE
retreat
now tail is grown in few months,
h,.t i IS seldom 50 long az the original
cnc. nor covered with 4 normal scala
,iaa. Concerning the stupidity" OF liz
ards in captivity Mr.. Diunars nlahes an
observation thar is O. wider application.
Nature. he SAYS, permits no stupid ami
nal 10 live What appears TO be stupid
g., Is merely 57ewIi6erTment among condi-
lions wholly g-esrijed for il. 'if d human
being >re-a Il ;Je suddenly transferred
from. the cox fo1t..bie centre Of MS dwell
IT, -. diversions 20 tic DESERT wastes