The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-09-03

WNW Especial. )-"Some snakes may
v be very useful about farm,
and western farmers are beginning to
evince interest in the propagation Oh
a large plains reptile-the bull snake.
Authority for this statement, con-
tanned in a bulletin of the National
Geographic Society, is Raymond l.. Dlt-
mars who recently returned with his
family from a curious vacation he spent
in the Georgia swamps where MS
daughter captured the most deadly rep
tile known to that region.
Mr.. Ditmars became curator of rep
tiles of the New York Zoo because his
hobby was collecting snakes instead OF
postage stamps or heather idols. His
collection grew too large, and perhaps
too dangerous, for his uptown apart
ment and he offered them to the zoo.
But the director would not even let
them into a Zoo until Mr.. Ditmars con-
scented to be their care taker.
Not that Mr. Ditmars has any illu-
sions about the dangers OF snakes. He
says, in a communication to the Society:
"A great proportion of snakes has
become highly specialized. 1t is among
these creatures that we find the most
extraordinary and deadly weapons for
the purpose of killing the prey that are
possessed by any of the vertebrates.
Popular interest is always strong
regarding serpents of great size. All
of the very large serpents are MEM
bers of single family, the Boidae.
None is poisonous, and the members OF
this family kill their prey by constric-
tion-squeezing it to death.
1.-The largest known serpent occurs
in the Malay Peninsula, Java, Borneo,
and Sumatra This is the regal of re-
ticulated python. 1t attains length of
80 feet Second in size is the Indian
python, inhabiting the Indian Peninsula,
| India China, the Malay Peninsula, and
Java This constructor grows to be
rs feet long and is very abundant.
Throughout the temperate and tropi-
cal regions of the globe are species or
serpents Of high economic value. These
are mostly the members of the largest
family of snakes, the Colubridae. The
greater number of the non-venomous
| serpents belong to this family. Our
| familiar black snake and king snake
| are members of this family. In some
parts of the world the rodent-eating
species are protected by law. Distri-
buted throughout India is large and
active species known as the rat snake.
| Its useful habits are recognized in
many areas This is likewise the case
with the closely related species found
throughout tropical America. The
creole French call the latter the cribo,
and in the coastal regions. where the
bubonic plague has appeared, there is a
fine imposed for the killing of rat-eat-
ing snakes.
| "Queerly enough we find some OF
the deadliest known serpents belong
! ing to the same family as the non-ven-
omous species. The Indian Ocean and
the waters Of the tropical Pacific are
Inhabited by great number of wholly
aouatic, veritable sea serpents that pos
SIS deadly fangs and sometimes swim
( IN schools of countless thousands. These
/ snakes have a paddle-like tail to assist
them il swimming.
another offshoot is the subfamlly
containing the formidable cobras and
their allies. The members of this SUBJ
| family are treacherously deceptive in
appearance. Here we have an admir-
able illustration OF how incorrect 1t Is
to believe a poisonous snake may De
told by the possession of a heart-shaped
head. A number OF the most deadly
known snakes belong to this sub
] family.
.Most spectacular of the elapine SER
penis are the cobras, or hooded snakes
The genus Naja. of India, Malaysia, and
Africa. contains 10 of these reptiles. OF
which the most conspicuous Is the
Indian or specialized cobra. Members Of
several allied genera rear the body
from the ground and the neck in simila,
fashion.
some Of the African cobras display
la dangerous habit of splitting poison a.
the intruder The ringhals, genus
Sepedc OF roeehern Africa. is a pitchy
black, ~ siesly vicious cobra thai
receives Il aane rsm one or tive
broad WI bands hat show on tho
neck VIII u snake reared in fight.
ing pose. As ne snaSe arches its necl
to glare a. The Intruder it is liable te
eject jets poison fss distance o,