The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1919-04-10
GREAT SNAKES OF THE AMAZON
A Traveller i'm the Jungles of South
America Tells of Big Reptiles.

In an article on reptiles published
in the National Geographical N1aga-
zine, Curator Ditmars, of the zoologi-
cal park, makes the following state
ment regarding the length and size
OF the boa constructors or anacondas
of South America:
Species of the genus boa inhabi-
ting tropical America attain a maxi
mum length of 12 to II feet
Having recently explored a Sec
tion of the upper Amazon valley, call
ed the Javary river region, situated
about 2,200 miles from the mouth of
this great river, have published my
observations in a volume called I'm
the Amazon Jungle" (Putnam's)
wherein l state that l have assisted
in the killing and skinning of a su-
curuju or anaconda having a total
length of 54 feet, eight inches when
dried.
This measurement was taken very
carefully and was witnessed by sew
eral men. The statement made by
DR.. Ditmars would therefore seem
too conservative and possibly is the
result of too limited knowledge of
the fauna of South America and the
upper Amazon in particular.
It may be said in favor of nv
statement concerning the length of
this enormous boa, which to some
may appear exaggerated, that few
white men have ever penetrated this
remote part of equatorial South
America, where the land is in
undated for the. better part
OF the year. The entire
Amazon valley is then transform
ed into a vast swampy forest steam
ing under the equatorial sun and in
1t there is an astonishing develop
ment in reptilian life.
OF the few white men that ever
penetrated into this region still few
er, do not hesitate to say, were in
terested in looking for snakes. Their
object was merely commercial one,
and it is thus easily explained how
these serpents escape observation. No
one has the right to deny their ex-
1stence. There are still several hun
dred of species of fish and reptiles to
be discovered and classified by sci
entists.
\ Evidence in support of the conten-
ton that there are larger serpents in
this region than Mr.. Ditmars's state
ment> would lead one to suppose may
be found in the following volumes:
ii. W. Bates's ga Naturalist on the
Amazon, A. r. Wallace's e'Travels
on the Amazon and Rio Negro" and
G. Waterton's 'Wanderings in South
America" These authors are among
the acknowledged authorities on the
fauna and fora of equatorial coun-
: tries and their books are accepted as
standard works.
In order to show that Mr.. Ditmars's
statements need some modification
may quote what these authors have
to say on the subject of the anaconda
or boa constructor.
Charles Waterton in his volume.
Wanderings in South America"
says on page 250 that an associate of
his killed boa % feet long. This
boa, he says, '*had pair of stag
horns in its mouth. The boa had
swallowed a stag, but could not get
the horns down, so he had to wait
in patience till his stomach had d.
gested the body and then the horns
dropped OUT
The same author records on page
95 that "the Camoudi snake of the
Orinoco (the anaconda) has been
killed from 80 to 40 fec long;
though not venomous, his size rem
ders him destructive to passing ami
mails the Spaniards on the
Orinoco positively affirm that he
grows to a length of 70 to 80 feet,
and that he will destroy the strongest
and largest bull. His name seems to
confirm this; there he is called Mata-
toro, which literally means bull kill
er."
A. W. Bates in his famous volume,
"A Naturalist on the Amazon" says
on page 1856: 'F was aroused a little
after midnight, as I lay in my little
cabin, by a heavy blow struck at the
side of the canoe close at my head
This was succeeded by the sound of
a weighty body plunging in the wa
ter.
II got up, but all was again quiet,
,-o1rt tho ooo1-1;nr Of hn for1c in,