El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-03-16
RENE BACHEs BUDGET
SNAKES ST. PATRICK MISSED
NOT TRUE THAT THERE ARE NO sERPENTs
IN THE GREEN ISLE.
One Species Well Known to Naturalists Is Found in
Ireland-CaIed the Hinged Snake, and Is Com
mon on the Continent of Europe, Where
Much Interesting Folk Lore Is
Connected With It.

Uncle Sans property, and is housed as
aforesaid in the national museum al
Washington.
This assemblage Of serpents is con
tanned in many thousands Of bottles
and jars Of alcohol Of various sizes,
arranged on tiers Of shelves While
particularly rich in North American
species. IL includes specimens from all
parts of the world. In fact, IL rather
completely represents the entire ophid-
ian fauna of the globe-even EN- braC-
ing the true sea serpents, which, found
in vast numbers in tropical waters
are among the most venomous OF eX-
A large part Of the collection has
been contributed by scientific institu-
tons abroad, which, being in cores
pOndence with the Smithsonian, sends
European, African and Asiatc spect-
mems in exchange for American snakes.
The department Of agriculture has fur
nished a great many, as a sort Of by
product Of its activities for which II
has no direct use; and every now and
then some government expedition to
Alaska, the Philippines, and other out
Of-the-Way region, brings back a few
serpents to add to the national stock.
By such means the collection has
gradually been got TO gether, supple
mented by occasional purchases Of rare
specimens. Snake hunting is regu-
lar business IN many parts of the
WOrld-especislly in the tropics, where
serpents of great size such as pyth-
OnS and anaconoas are netteQ or
caught in traps for market In South
America motives skilled in this sort Of
work capture the anaconda and the
boa constructor BY throwing nets over
them when they are found gOrged
with food and fast asleep-thereupon
tying them with cords for safety g
sake, and carrying them in boats to
the nearest seaport There is always
a demand for them at good price.
The Big Snakes.
All Of the really great snakes belong
to the family Of the boas, aud, while
none OF them is VenOmOus, all are con-
strictors. A 20-fOOt anaconda is cas-
ily able to crush a man TO death In
its coils Under such circumstances
the person attacked should not try 70
smash the serpents head, the bones Of
which are very thick and strong, but
should il possible smite its TAIL which
Is the sensitive part of the animal. An
eel may be promptly killed by three OF
four sharp blows on its tail and a boa
constructor or anaconda will respond
10 the same sort Of treatment or Ii
may be unWOund by beginning at the
tail end, though not from the other ex-
tremity.
All Of which is worth knowing. II
one should happen to be travelling
through tropical jungles. In the new
world, however, there are no pythOns
fortunately. Those greatest Of all
SHAKES 4EHdA Re LAANA s1-Le@A-4H 2
length of IS feet-belOng exclusively
TO southern Asia. and are most com
mon in the Malay archipelago. They
are most commonly captured by set
ting traps. resembling huge eel pots
in rice fields, which, because OF theil
semi-aquauc habits. they are apt &C
frequent
South Carolina produces more snakes
than any other part Of our country, q
remarkable number Of species being
assembled there, including rattlesnakes
and copperheads Of unusual size. Many
Of them find their way to market for
supplying ZOOS and natural history
collections, the rattlers being captured
ordinarily by means OF moose on the
end Of a stick
Majority of snakes Harmless.
Luckily, a great majority Of the
snakes of the world are harmless, and
even beneficial being eaters Of rats