The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-04-28
Frederic Haslsin's Letter


iosity was so much aroused that
they went through with the opera.
ton without flinching.
"One fellow persisted in lickin,
his paw, however, and his actions
we're so ridiculous that l decided
to make . motion picture film Of
the monkeys being finger printed 10
show at a dinner of the New York
Geological society.
Feeling that the monkeys de.
served treat after being finger
printed l brought in q bunch Of
bananas and made a movie of the
greedy animals. which l called
Dinner in the Rogues' Gallery.
One monkey distinguished himself
by thrusting an entire banana
crosswise into his mouth. one end
into one pouch OF the cheek and
the other skilfully inserted in the
other pouch. He then put ONE
| finger in his mouth and broke the
banana in the middle"
The finger-printing of the mon.
keys is only one Of the many inter-
festing experiments that DR.. Dit.
mars is constantly carrying on AZ
the New York Geological park. u.
ually these activities, started for
the curator's personal entertain.
ment, turn out to be of scientific in.
terest. Thus when he first set IN
his movie apparatus in the zoo and
announced his intention Of filming
the various species, no one was
very greatly impressed. Yet many
of these pictures have proved Of
great value. In the same casual
way DR.. Ditmars has succeeded In
building up collection Of reptiles
which is recognized as one of the
finest in the world.
A Man Who Likes Snakes.
Like several other well known
naturalists, this curator is not only
a great student of reptiles-he is a
great admirer Of them. Il am never
so happy" he says. "as when | am
on a ledge all acrawl with rattlers.
l take as much delight in their
gorgeous coloring as jewel col
lector might in the prize stones
that come into his possession
He himself has captured many
prize specimens for the zoo. He
knows about 20 snake dens where
snakes hibernate, all located within
&c miles of New York, and about
this time o. year he starts out on a
naka-hnnting expedition from
which he always returns with a
bag full OF kissing reptiles II
makes him furious, however, to hear
Of other people hunting Stakes
especially if they hunt to kill them
F,r this reason ht keeps secret
he locations Of lis snake dens as
} if they contained buried treasure
The most that Re will divulge is
that they are to Re found largely in
the RAMPAGE hills Of New Jersey
Last year l motored about a
} thousand miles and walked and
! climed l don't know how many
more in making a round of my
, snake Gens," says DR.. Ditmars, land
l now have the places all charted
: l have to keep them a closet.
guarded secret or farmers living
near them would destroy the den;
, with dynamite.
: The curator's own snake-huntinl
: weapon is merely harmless fork
, ed stick, with prongs not over two
t inches long. This is jabbed at thu
: snakes head so as to pin it to earth
, Then another stick is laid acros!
: his head close to his jaws.
Il usually rest my knee on TIL
l second stick to hold it in place, ant
: then, while the snakes head is helt
2 powerless to move, grasp hin
, around the neck with one hand II
= such a fashion that the thumb anC
: second finger are firm against thu
back of his jaws, and the indel
e finger pressed against the rear OIL
: his head. If your fingers are
!. quarter of an inch too far back
/ though, the snake can whip its heal
= around and strike. That is VIVA
gives the game its thrill, I guess
l When you have him like that 1t |
t a simple matter to drop him tai
first into the waiting sack"
s DR.. Ditmars is strong, heavil
: built man with a quick eye an
: movement. Agility and stead
e nerves. he says, are the principa
e requirements in handling vii
: creatures whether they be monkey