Phillips County herald., 1922-12-28
Famous Zoo Curator Says
Snakes Are Endowed With
Startling Intelligence.
POSSESS VERY KEEN EYEsIeHT
Distinguish Sound BY Their Tongues
and scales-sense Of Taste Very
Acute-TeIis Of Lizard That
Walks on Water.

eiAuhe iti the WOOuS VI ucius w uOt,
as you leap nimbly out Of reach, give
way to thoughts Of loathlng and con-
tempt. Snakes are extremely useful
members of society-even the poison
GUS ones-and they are endowed with
far more intelligence than they get
credit for, according to Raymond L.
DitmGrs, curator for reptiles ut the
Broux zoo. ~
Also, Mr.. Ditmars told 20 or 20 men
and women, members of the Reptile
Study society, at the sixth nnncal
dinner of the organization, that snakes
might even have u sixth sense, an
attribute that man cannot even gauge,
for human beings have to be content
with only five.
"There is possibility that snakes
are far superior TO any suppOsitIon re-
gardlng their attalnments," said Mr..
Ditmars. Though their ears have
deteriorated. we know that they hear
quite well. They are sensitive to sound
On their tongues and on the scales on
their bodies. Their eyeslght Is wonder
fully keen, especially for moving OBJ
jects. They have marvellous sense OF
taste and of smell.
Investigate Pit virers.
Science is now investigating the
various species of pit vipers for proof
OF another snakish sense that as yet
we know nothing about. A pit viper,
you know. has a strange organ In the
skull, Il deep pit which is lined with
microscopic nerves all Joining a main
nerve that goes straight to the brain.
Science has not yet fath0rned the use
OF This Pit. II may be that snakes
are actually superior to man with II
we do not have it,"
The dinner at which Mr.. Ditmars
made this assertion was held at the
Cufe Boulevard. The average person
who attended the dinner would get
something of shock TO find the guests
passing around two or three-foot
snakes in lunches and longer fellows
singly, handling the reptiles as though
they were interesting curios or relics.
While these snakes. which, Of course
are all harmless. Were crawling around
the nccks and shoulders Of men and
women. member of the society.
Arthur II. Gillian. brought out bag.
lie got wide space despite the gen
eral craning Of necks, for In that bag
were rattlers and rattlers are rattlers
even to the enthusiasts Of tire Reptile
Study society.
As Gillian cautiously unwound the
cord from the bag Il kissing. biizzlns
sound filed the room. Nevertheless,
Mr.. Raitlcr was left loose on the floor,
:orked stick pinnlng his neck before
lie could wrlpgle an inch. Then Gil-
lam took hin by the scruff of the
neck tlf snakes have scruns) as n
child picks up n kitten. The vcnemous
reptile held thus was passed around
Tor inspection.
A cotton mouthed" noccasin was
then put an display. Another snake
that received n great deal of attention,
boing allowed To rccline on The speak
cr's table III the start Of the dinner.
was an eight-foot boa constructor.
Bnas. IL WAS said. make great pets
and ARE absolutely harmless, 81 iuee
Ms they are not too biz. Then play
ful squeeze might crush the ribs of a
innn ar wonlnn. rs an inIulsiilve child
crushes u beetle.
Lizard Walks on Wster.
Professor T.. X. Dunn of Smith Col
I.rc told al experiences with snakes In
Central Amerlcn and Mexico.
"At water hole" he said. 1--WE snw
Two or ihree-foot lizard that stood
uprigh, whom Il saw iis and rnn Ia the
wnier. Without pnusing II kcpi right on
running ana crossed the water hole ol
top nf the water. hardly expect any
OF y"i Ia believe this. hut II IN true.
The lizard had wehbed feet that carried
II over the water NJ top speed. os
course he couldn't stop ar turn nr"und
en the water. but must keep going
ahead
Edward +. Epclow, edltor of Guide
to Nature. described snakes ~ the
"sw., test. iay.llesi things IN creation"
Tile purpose and object of the Rep
tile Study sm'i.is, NJ vel forth In their
prospectus. Is To educate everyone
everywhere nbout ihc life histories Of
reptiles snakes. crocodiics. lizards,
turtles md toriolses. aud ampliIbnDs
frogs. ioa'ls mud snlainaniers.' The
soei.iy aims to benefit mankind nni
these animals by substituting inielii.
gsni consideration and Kindness for
ignorant dr.nd md plroriois rrnclty."
u wss -nid hy members at ihe dinner
fhnt The fenr of sualrs WAS not IN.
sinctl,r. NJ generally belle, ed. but
was inrulenied IN children by scared
gr"wnups.