Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-09-06
DEADLY ZOO BABIES
ON HUNGER STRIKE
Orphaned Snakes Slowly But
Comfortably Dying With
Food All Around.

There are two families Of orphans
here in Washington who haven't had
a bite to eat for four months.
Their parents were vile. disreput-
able individuals. The fathers, 1t Is
likely. still are alive and raising
the dickens in Brazil. The mothers
deserted their mates. came to Wash =
ington, died shortly after their
families were born and left the little
ones on the Government.
And now the children, who have
ali the Objectionable characteristics
Of their parents. are starving to
death.
It isn't the fault Of the Govern
ment-their foster father, Uncle Sam,
really Is an expert at rearing all sorts
of families and he isn't stingy with
his table. The fact is that these
particular families are so mean and
obstinate that they will not eat-no
matter how tempting the delicacies
placed before them.
No expense has been spared to
obtain It'd bits for the hungry little
fellows. The Government sent to
New Orleans for juicy live chameleons
of species particularly favored by
the families to which these orphans
belong, but they sneered at the Of
ferings. Tiny. white maggots which
tnfest corn meal. little worms that
sre ike molasses candy to most
Of the children of allied families.
passed them up without even bite
at them.
Trying 30 Save Them.
The Government Is about at the
end Of its resources, 1t Will not will
tngly let the little fellows die, despite
the fact that IL they grow to ma
turitv they will be about the most
dangerous living creatures on the
North American Continent. Not that
they ever will do any damage, for they
will he kept confined in their cages at
the Zoo. Compared with them. the
most venomous rattlesnake in North
America Is a safe companion.
One of these families consists of
three or four little fere-de -lances.
These snakes now are six inches long
and approximately the size Of whip
cord When full grown the fer-de-
lance is from six to eight feet long.
very active and one of the two most
venomous living things in the West
ern Hemisphere. 1t is not quite so
deadly AS the Indian cobra. but COM
Parsons don't mean much in this case.
because a bite from either Is usually
= guarantee of death.
The other family consists Of infa mt
flush masters. allied TO the fer-de-
lance family and equally fatal adver-
s9ries
The fer-de la noes We're born at the
born May 3.
The mothers came to Washington as
gifts to the Zoo from a Brazil snake
farm hut they lived only long enough
tn bring their young ones into the
world. Then came the problem of say
ing the babies The trouble was that
they would eat only active living an
finals. Snakes generally have no in
terest In food they do not kill. The
cha meleons were trifIe too big for
such little snakes to swallow. If the
real worms had consented to wiggle
around and show enough life to inter
est the snakes. they might have been
ada pied into serpentine stoma chs.
They would barely move in the cage.
however. Apparently it is fairly COM
Portable for snake &c. starve to death.
for with food all around these are
slowly departing this life.
In spite of their sinister reputation.
Zoo officials are anxious to keep some
Of these little fellows alive. Deadly
creatures seem to have a particular at
traction for visitors. Crowds thrill at
the thought that only a, sheet of glass
separates them from death. Even at
their present size. the bush masters
and the delances draw consider
ehle attention, although their tiny
fangs could hardly penetrate the skin.
Only Deadly Ones Of Zoo.
Except for these. there are no really
deadly reptiles on exhibition at the
Zoo The rattlers are not considered
particularly deadly and very few in
stances are on record where their bite
has proved fatal. The ella monsters
ere only slightly poisonous and their
bite never is fatal
If these infants are reared they
proha bly, will not he particularly
Vicious. Even when captured as