Rensselaer Republican, Volume 14, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 June 1882 — SHAKES EGGS. [ARTICLE]

SHAKES EGGS.

Odd Facts About Snak e«.—Large and Small Reptiles And Their Habits,. - "! 1 ■ " "I"*"*-. _, Pythons and Anacondas—Snakes Etrgs and How They are Hatched—Rattle* snakes as Food for Human Stom* aehs—Adventure with Reptiles. T ere was brought to the Star office by Mr. G. O. Starr, yesterday, an enormous egg. It was twice the size of a goose egg, but was not as regular in Shape. The outer covering instead of being hard and brittle like a shell, was so soft that it could be easily indented by the finger.. This singular egg was cold and clammy to the touch, and it gave a person who handled it an uncomfortable feeling like that which would result from contact with a snake, toad or frog. “This egg,” said Mr. Starr, “was laid by the 30Q pound python which was brought to this city by Mr. G. B. Bunheli a few days ago. The python ia sitting upon a nestfull of such eggs and within a short time a lot of little snakes will be hatched out. They will be nice pets for people who have aa admiration for reptiles. The mothec snake is twenty-five feet in length, and she is colled upon her nest and patiently awaiting the advent of her young. Her temper is just like that of a setting hen. She is very ugly, and if she is disturbed she manifests her displeasure in a way that gives all meddlers to understand that she wishes to be left severely alone. “What shall I do with this thing?” was the inquiry made by the representative or the The Star to whom the python's egg was handed. “You can have it hatched artificially” was the reply of the donor. “Just keep it in cotton jin a place which is neither too warm nor too cold, and Obe first thing you know you will be the owner of a real, live python. Then, if yon take proper care of the young snake, it will grow so large that it will be able to coil about you and crush you in its vice-like folds.” Mr. W. A. Conkling, superintendent of the Central Park menagerie, ■peaking of reptiles, said: -.‘There is scarcely any animal that commands Msemuch aversion as the 'Serpent, yet in spite of this it is one of the most intefeOcing of all that come before the naturalist. Yet little attention has been paid to tbe snake, as-compared th.Wthers of the ao imal kingdom. The ancient writers speak in respectful tanes of serpen's’"siib 4 JfovMV. Ariatotie tells of the immense Lybiau ■nrpeuts, so large that they pursued ana upset s -me of the voyagers’ boats that visited that coast. The story of the gigantic snake that threw the aggy of Regains into disorder by kill-

ing flnd Qevouri ng several of his'sbtdiers, and squeezing a few hundred to death in his folds, will be remember* ed. Rpgulus finally killed the monster by aid, of the, qngines used to assail for* i fled pladefl. The. bifid of this python was 120 feet in length, and for years adorned one of the temples of Rome. Mr. Conkling added: “The story that snakes 'cover their prey with saliva is an error, Mr. > Robert Ker Porter says the Python does mot first cover its, prey with saliva. The mucous does not pour out of the glands unless the prey is largo and it is required to lubricate the jaws and throat for the seemingly disproportionate feast. Pythons wdjl cling by the tail to some tree growing in the water, and then float upon the surface and wait for animals that’ may come to the water to quench their thirst. They often feed upon each other. In the Zoological gardens in London, one who had lived for years on friendly terms with a brother nearly as large as himself,, was found one morning sole tenant of his den. As the cage was secure, the keeper was puzzle 1 to know how the serpent had escaped. At last it was discovered that the remaining inmate had swollen remarkably during the night, when the truth came out. Mr. Bunnell has enacted the snake charmer. IJ emember how years before he grew to be a great showmanlhe used to handle the serpent-. He was known as the Ceyionaise Serpent-Trainer. But if you want a good up and down snake story let me introduce yon to Professor Hutchings.” “Can I tell you anything about snakes? I should say so,” said Rev. Mr. Hltchings. lightening calculator and lecturer upon Bunnell’s wonders. Sir!! could tell you facts, sir; facta in relation to the betrayer of our common mother that would overwhelm you with amazement. I remember, one in the year 1864. I was at Gilberts Museum, Market 7 near Second, San Francisco, Cal. Fifty in gold and ail expenses. These were glorious days; gold way up, and myself generally in a like condition. I noticed for several days a man they called Reynolds hanging about the place. He was a man about 50, no taller than myself, gray locks hanging over his shoulders. A bent form, like a tree that had been brought up wrong. Eyes with a far-away look. He had a peculiar gliding motion, and his. feet, muffled in slippers, gavefortn no more sound than the reptile. Shortly after I noticed the proprietor advertised for snakes. One day a mountaineer came in with a box pierced with air holes. From the inside came forth a sound like unto the rattle of musketry.

•‘What yer got, stranger,” said Reynolds, pushing through the crowd. “Rattlers,” said the mountaineer. “Let me take one,” said - Reynolds, reaching for the box. “Better look out; they bite, and when they bite they kill,” was the reply. ,‘lf yer brovght these in answer to the advertisement them’s my snakes,” said Reynolds, as he plunged his hand into the box. In a second he brought forth a six-foot rattle-snake, and holding it between a thumb and looked at it. The far-away in the eyes of the mysterious man had given way to a dancing, sparkling brilliancy, before which the snake was powerless. “Ain’t hejpurty? Bee the Bun strike its handsome bide and come back in rainbow colo-s. Kiss me, bey.” Slowly the deadly serpent went toward his mouth and then darted dqwo his throat. The crowd idid not mbve; they scarcely breathed; I felt my nair rising; I might say, in New Haven slang. “We were paralyzed? At all events we were rooted to tbe spot as firmly as the pyramid are to Egypt’s kand. In an instant his hands were in the box, and no less than twenty of these deadly animals were dancing arouhd him to the music of their rattles. The mountaineer was as pale as a sheet and trembled as with the ague. Back went the snakes into the box. Turnr, ing to the mountaineer, Reynolds exclaimed: “What’s are ye cold ?” His voice broke the spell; the mountaineer gave one look and then made for the door. He never came to pay for those snakes.” Among the visitors to see the enormous 300 pound python on exhibition there was a nativeof Central America. He told the attendant at the door that a long residence in a warm climate had made him perfectly familiar with reptiles and their habits. He acknowledged that the python in the museum was a remarkable serpent; but he said he had seen many such in Guatemala. A representative of the Star who happened to come along just then and overheard the Central American’s remark, asked him to relate some of his experience with snakes The man was a veteran of sixty-five or seventy years. His face was bronzed, and his hair, which he wore long, was as stra-ght as that of and Indian. He was fully six feet tall, and the lankness of his figure gave him a singular appearance. He told the reporter that his name was Senor Jose Dece, that he was born in Mexico, and left that country for Central America when a young man. The Benor Was well educated, and is able to speak in the English language with the same fluency that he does his native tongue. He said: “I have camped in dwamps and thickets,and slent with pythons and anacondas cfawllng all around me. I never Wks afraid of thbm;' The stories told in books of immense' snakes attacking Ikrgte animals and most part exaggerations. It is true that small animals are often killed and swallowed whole by anacondas and boar-constrictors; but it is safe to say that no full grown man was ever made a meal of by a serpent.”

“Were you ever attacked pent?” the reporter asked. ‘ I never had one tackle me, but a sailor with whom I was acquainted light night twenty-five or thirty years ago when he suddenly found himself thefoWvef* krerwmdous snake. I suppose he would have drawn a knife from his pocket and cut the reptile In two, but unfbrtd-' nately for him he did not happen ‘fin have any cutting instrument with him at the time. So all that was hft for him to f do was to struggle and free himself the best wav he could. He made a desperate effort and loosened* himself from what was a very closet embrace. Once free he procured a large stick, and pounded the anaconda upon its head until it was dead? There is a certain spot at the base of a snake’s skull which if struck even a slight blqw will cause death.” “Is an anaconda good for human food ?” “Now, that is a question which is very hard to answer. It may be wholsome enough, but 1 think it would be pretty tough eating for any human being who has an ordinary set of teeth and the average digestion. I think I would prefer a good beefsteak or a tenderloin if I wanted a square meal.” Is any kind of snake suitable for food?” “Oh, yes; rattlesnakes are delicionaead wholesom. I have been ni coun ttes where they formed a large sharus f the regular diet of the inhabioints.” “To-what countries do you refer?,, “Wetli sir, the people of Brazil and Chili eat rattlesnakes; But you need not go so far away from New York to find serpent eaters. The folks tdown in the northern part of the state of Pensylvania eat rattlesnakes, The s r tents in that state are particularly plump, and exceedingly inviting to* the palate of an epicure. According to the orthodox method, the rattier is skinned and cut up into piece# about an inch and a half long, and 1 then fried the same as you would cook an eel. I have eaten rattlers' lots of times, They taste something like eels, only a great deal sweeter-, I prefer rattlesnakes to frogs any day in the week. Frogs are Insipid.” “Did you ever see a pyramid of snakes?” > * “If you mean one of those conical piles of reptiles such as Livingston saw in Africa,! never saw a pyramid, but I have seen a heap or big knot of serpents all twisted and intertwined in a wriggling, squirming, slimy, hissing bunch, I was exploring a cave in South-America a lew years ago, when I came to a passage that was so long and narrow that I was compelled to get down and crawl upon my hands and knees. I had to hold my torch in my teeth, and, as I could not manage it well, my light was extinguished, and my on y alternative was to grope along in darkness. Suddenly I felt eomething cold and slimy agaipst my hapds. I knew from the feeling that I had touched a snake. Then I blindly put my hands forward and thrust them into a nest of serpents. You can believe that I got out of the place' as speedily as possible.”- New York Star.