Evening star., 1932-11-13
BY ERSKINE JOHNSON.

BY ERSKINE JOHNSON.
--HE sandy bottom of a lonely, dry river
bed shimmered and streamed under
the terrific heat Of a glaring North
African sun Yellowish clay walls
rose to precipitous heights both
sides
Slowly, cautiously group of white men and
burly Arabs wended its way through the burn
ing hell hole Armed with forked sticks, the
men carefully examined the walls as they
plodded through the thick sand.
Suddenly, one of the Arabs shouted "hanesch
kebir"-big snake-and rushed ahead of the
main party. The others followed quickly and
saw him pursuing huge cobra.
Beautiful to behold its reddish-brown body
glimmering in the sun, the big reptile, deadly
to man and beass alike, tried to escape full
steam ahead Finally the Arab reached the
animal and pinned it down with his snake
stick"
But the great speed of the snake caused
him to hit the posterior part of its body, not,
as intended the neck. The cobra, highly irri-
tated, turned around the fore part of its body
erected, the hood spreading.
IN wild strikes it attempted to reach the enemy
with its deadly fangs. An embarrassing
situation for the poor Arab If he lifted the
stock to pin the snake down at the neck, the
mad reptile would take the offensive, and cobras
strike in q split second.
If he left the stick where 1t was. he would
have to stand there until one of them, he or
make, died of starvation-and snakes can stand
fasting for many months.
Quickly, and exposing himself to great dan
gers one of the white members OF the party
solved the dilemma. He crept cautiously toward
the snake and got a firm hold on its neck
with his stick.
The hero of the occasion was Dr. Walter
Mosauer, professor Of zoology at the University
Of California at Los Angeles. The reptile was
q splendid specimen. Now it adorns his pre-
served collection.
Widely noted for his study of poisonous
snakes, DR.. Mosauer recently returned from the
Sahara Desert, in Northern Africa where he
was sent by the Medical School OF Vienna.
While there Prof Mosauer had several thrill
ing experiences with deadly cobrss, saw several
weird types Of snake dances, and witnessed
the amazing performances Of several snake
charmers."
gE returned to the United States with several
fine specimens and new scientific data
about the dangerous reptiles, which once were
worshiped In the religion Of old Egyptians.
And, too. he came away convinced that
snake charmer Is not supernatural, nor does he
possess a charmed life" any other attribute
that renders him immune to the poison of dead
Iy reptiles. He simply has knowledge Of the
snakes psychology.
"Since they seem to be quite congenial with
these strange and mysterious reptiles" Dr.
Mosaurer says, snake charmers take on q GER
tain air Of mystery in the minds Of their OBJ
servers, or else they are looked upon as cheat
ing the public by the simple device of extract
ing the fangs."
In most cases, however, the fangs are not
extracted, DR.. Mosauer convinced himself
among the African snake charmers. But there
is certainly no such thing as snake charming
he adds.
"The whole art of the snake charmer is
rather science based upon an exact knowledge
OF snake psychology" he says. "The snake
charmer knows when the snake is gentle. And
he knows when the reptile Is apt to strike.
He is aware that he must handle the snake
with very slow, cautious movements, since
hasty, nervous grips frighten and anger the
reptile"
4 AUSIC, often an important part in the ritual
wi of snake charmers, has no effect whatso-
ever on the reptile, and does not make him
dance" Snakes are stone deaf, DR.. Mosauer
explains
"They have no tympanic membrane and their
inner acoustic apparatu, is quite poorly devel-
oped" the professor says. I'm great number
OF experiments no convincing evidence for the
hearing of snakes has been brought forth.
'The dancing of cobra Is o peculiar sway
ing motion of the head and erected fore part
OF the body Careful observation reveals that
this motion depends upon movements OF the