Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 298, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 December 1916 — MUSEUM MEN SEEK HUGE, UGLY SNAKES [ARTICLE]

MUSEUM MEN SEEK HUGE, UGLY SNAKES

Two Cvientists Who Won Their Bpur» in Other Jungles Now Ready , for New Conquests New Orl n-. La. - With a, carefully selected assortment of rifles, shotguns. nets, nooses and traps, and a supply of drugs calculated to ward off tropical fevers, and'serums to counteract snake venom, L. Alfred Mannr.ardt and Clarence R.' Halter, reprerentatAes of the American Museum of Natural History of New York, are about to set out from New Orleans on a scientific hunt. The young men are experts in their line, skilled herpetologists, and they have already won their spurs as snake hunters in several perilous expeditions m the West Indies where the deadly ferdeiance is the dread tyrant of the swamp and fbrest. , At the Monteleone Hotel, Halter and Mannhardt have a room full of “props” for the*staging of their serious drama of the tropical wilds. There are several big steamer trunks packed with everything conceivable In the way of paraphernalia that might serve to abridge the life and liberty of the reptilian denizens of the Nicaraguan wilds, and holding a vital and important part in the codlection are a dozen .or more cases of serum prepared by Dr. Vital Brazil, who has a great snake experimental colony not far from Rio de Janeiro. “Safety first,” remarked one of the young scientists a sjnile as he held up for the visitors' inspection one of the littl* vials of dark colored serum. “Here’s the syringe that goes with it,” producing the second necessary article, “With these safeguards, 'v*e hardly need fear the ferdelance or even the- terrible bushmaster.” ' The herpetologists expect to remain cn the work in Nicaragua until October. Then they will return to New Orleans and very probably use this city as the base for the expedition after fossil remains known to exist in certain sections of this state. They were much interested in several articles published in the local press regarding the great zquglodon, the first of the cetaceans, once so plentiful in the Focene and Miocene sea that swept over Catahoula Parish, La., and if they can arrange, they will seek the fossil remains of this great marine monster in the vicinity of Harrisonburg. The American Museum of Natural History of New York is easily the greatest institution of its liind in the world, with a marvelous collection showing the fauna of all known ages, the more recent fauna being present in life .groups. Herpetology is one of Lie most interesting branches of zoology and as yet, maqy reptiles are unclassed. The young men are about to sail for Bluefields and the object of their Expedition Is to obtain specimens of alligators, snakes, lizards, frogs and sish —living specimens for the Bronx I’ark and dead specimens or the • life picture .groups” in the aforesaid museum. The life group collecting will be the most important and difficult work, as the sceintists after getting the specimens will have to photograph and color the surroundings in which the creature/lived, so that a faithful reproduction may be made in the museum settings. As a part of their equipment, they have a complete photographic outfit. When they reach Nicaragua, Mr. Balter will direct one expedition and Mr. Mannhardt another. These will extend along both sides of the lofty chain mountains running thru Central America. The purpose of the iwo expeditions is to ascertain -wheth- < r the fauna on each side of the mountains is the same. They will study carefully the geographical distnnution of animals, both as to localities and a’titudes. To ascertain altitudes they will use a barometer furnished by the United States Geodetic Survey. In the Nicararguan jungle, they expect to meet the dangerous bushmaster. This snake is the largest of all venomous species, and sometimes attains a length (St twelve feet, with a corresponding thickness. It is very belligerent. Its bite has been known to kill a victim in ten minutes. There are thirty seven species of Central American snakes known to science, and of these 17 are venomous. Mr. Mannhardt and Mr. Halter hope to discover .new species. Neither scientist seems to have the least fear of snakes and each has been bitten several times.-“We are carrying these serums mostly for our native hunters and servants,’’ said Mr. Halter with a satisfied smile, “as we seldom give the snake a chance to strike us.” Mr. Mannhardt, however, supplemented, with a degree of doubt expressed in his tones, that they would certainly be taking chances on the pight hunts. “Most of the Central American' snakes are nocturnal in their habits,” he explained, “and W 6 will have to seek many of onr specimens, especially the bushmaster, with acetylene lamps. To guard against a sudden attack from a snake on a bush, we will wear heavy wire screens to. our helmets.” Nearly all snake:, are caught with the naked hand just back of the head, or with a pronged stick. Big spec! mens, like the bushmaster, will be noosed. t - ''