Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-05

Approximately 500 reptiles, including
some of the worlds most deadly SER
penis and some animals never before
seen in the United States, were brought
back to Washington yesterday from
Cuba and Central America by DR.. Will
liam M. Mann, director of the National
Geological Park.
These will be placed on exhibition in
the new Zoo reptile house, which will
be opened within the next month.
Many were captured by DR.. and Mrs.
Mann in the Honduras jungle, some
amid the lonely ruins of the ancient
Maya city of Quirigua. Others were
received from government officials and
local scientists in the Central American
countries.
Because Of its size and the number
of rare specimens this is considered
che of the most valuable shipments
of reptiles ever received in the United
States.
BasiIisks Included in List.
Probably the rarest are the spotted
and crested basilisks, which actually
walk on water. These creatures,
which have been given a prominent
captured appropriately near the ruins
OF the jungle city. The spotted baSilisk
is slender, brilliant green lizard with
diSproportionately long tail. On the
surface Of water it walks on four legs,
but on land it generally moves very
swiftly on its hind legs only.
The most sinister of the reptiles is the
jumping tree viper, known as 1.-The hand
of stone" of which this is the fifth
cVNo univ IT, kfxTf3 oh.
tanned from the serpentarium at Tayr
lor, Honduras, maintained by Harvard
University. This creature is close rela-
tive of the fer-de-lance, the most venom
Gus of New World serpents, but is COL
ored a brilliant green and lives in trees,
from which it will dart at its victim.
Includes Venomous Tree Snakes.
The collection includes several other
venomouS tree snakes, including one
species whose fangs point backward;
several Cuban boas, a Panama boa con-
Strictor, six fer~de-lanceS and four Cen
trail America rattlesnakes, which differ
strikingly from the North American va
rietieS DR. Mann also secured several
coral snakes, for whose venom no anti
dote Is known, and which might be the
worlds deadliest snake If it were not one
OF the shyest and most peaceful crea-
lures alive. A curiosity of nature Sc
cured on this expedition is a king snake.
venomlsss and harmless which has
changed its black coat for protection
and taken on almost the exact coloring
of the deadly coral snake.
In Cuba, where DR.. and Mrs. Mann
were guests of Secretary of Agriculture
Estrada, he secured Is Cuban flamingos,
brilliantly colored birds almost never
seen in ZOOS. They are described as
far more colorful than the European
fiamingos usually introduced. He also
obtained three Cuban trogans, never
before seen in the United States. They
are long-tailed fruit-eating birds, coll
ored black, red and white. From the
same country were secured three rare
humming birds, about the size of bum
bic bees.
Cuban Jutias in Collection.
DIR. Mann also brought into the United
States for the first time in many years
two Cuban jutias. The jutia is the
largest mammal on the island and is
close relative of the guinea pig. It
lives in trees and seldom Is seen even
by the natives.
Among the reptiles were about a
dozen giant chameleons, about five
times the size of the ordinary Euro
pean chameleon and ordinarily colored
bright green with sulphurish markings
on the forehead. These are found in
Honduras. They have almost as much
facility as ordinary chameleons in
changing their color to fit the environ
ment Of the moment.
In Panama Or. anS IIrs. Mann were