The Washington times., 1914-09-06
onsignment of 100 Reptiles
and Lizards Has Been Re-
ceived From WiIds of Borneo
by Institution.
jchard G. Paine Identifies and
Sorts Specimens as They
Come From Every Quarter
of the Globe.
Bv LEONARD ORMEROD.

II the renowned wild Man OF
Borneo," pining in this country for
something TO remind him of the old
home jungles of his island where he
first learned to chew raw meat, could
visit the New National Museum here.
where a consignment of 100 snakes,
lizards and reptiles generally have
just been received from the Borneo
wilds. his untamed breast would
thrill with joy
They came in a cylindrical copper
tank, securely boxed and immersed
in a solution of forTnaldeheyde, and
as they were poured into a big glass
receptacle to be classified and ar
ranged the sight was enough to
make a snake eating wild mans
mouth water.
There was big thick "Acrochor-
dus JaVaniCus." six feet long. enough
20 make a stew for the whole family
If the wild man. Tadpole tidbits.
a few small turtles. venomous land
snakes and water snakes with latin
names longer than themselves, and
one genuine sea serpent, were just
g part of the conglomeration.
He Roams About World.
DR.. W. L. Abbott. a wealthy Ameri-
oan scientist who roams about the
world in his private steam yacht
picking up odds and ends OF plant
and animal life. of which a large
portion finds its way to the Ma
ctonal Museum
Not many people outside Of scien-
ddc circles know that the Govern
rrent's collection of reptile speci-
mems here is the largest to he found
outside OF Europe, and that curators,
biologists and others come long dis
teAces TO the Capital TO study them.
In a long. low room in the new
building, not open to the general pub
ho, and suggestive of an old wine
cellar, are more than s.. 600 Jars and
bottles setting on long shelves. Each
contains one or more reptiles, some
Of them SO small they might be
taken for bugs. but each one labeled
dress" and all properly tabulated in
the records of the Museum. They
are preserved IN grain alcohol, and
three barrels of this are used every
year in picking new specimens.
To Richard G. Paine. in charge of
the reptile division, falls the task of
identifying and sorting the specimens
dS COIIl6 III every
Of the globe. Mr.. Paine Ito call him
Doctor bring frown and Pro
fessor'' makes him violenD can look
& strange serpent in the eve. count
its teeth and the number of scales
on its tail. and tell its age, ante
cedents. food, habits, education, hah-
'tation, friends, enemies, and real
name.
Can Give Facts.
By slightly different inspection he
can give you the same knowledge
concerning q tadpole. lizard. ella
monster. turtle. terrapin, horned
toad, bullfrog. or other reptile. Eav-
ing only 5000 and some odd speci-
mems under his care, he is constant
v on the alert for new kind of ami
nal, and when one turns up his joy
Is unbounded
Mr.. Paine is more thar biologist,
however. He has Won an envia BILE
place d 2 sculptor and plastic mod
eler, snakes and felines being his IA
vorlte subject. To this erd he usual
" has a few live snakes on hand,
and in his room at the Museum he
now has siX-foot boa constructor
and an anaconda a little NOR than
Eve feet long. He could max. a good
living as A snake Charmer, for he
can take his pets" and handle them