MESMERISING ANIMALS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 79, 5 April 1926, Page 7

MESMERISING ANIMALS.

UNDISCIPLINED SNAKES.

HERR LABERO'S OFF DAY.

BERLIN, April 4.

A huge python, rejecting mesmerism, sank its fangs so deeply into the hand of Herr Labero, a professional circus hypnotist, that one of the snake's ieetb. broke and stayed in the man's flesh. Undaunted, Herr Labera continued to put crocodiles, hens, guinea pigs and rabbits to sleep easily. He conquered a boa constrictor, after which a large eagle drove its beak into the wounded hand. Herr Labero persisted until the eagle toppled over unconscious, after which Herr Labero fainted from loss of blood when he was about to attempt to mesmerise a lion.—(A. and N.Z.)

CLEVER AIRWOMAN.

PLUCKY MRS. IYNN.

LONDON, April 4.

The courage of a woman parachutist was revealed in a striking incident at Hereford.

Mrs. Eliott Lynn was to have made a parachute descent from an aeroplane from a height of 1500 ft for the benefit of a holiday crowd. She climbed from the cockpit to the wing of the aeroplane preparatory to making the descent, when, unfortunately, engine trouble developed and the machine fell.

Mrs. Eliott Lynn retained her hold in a perilous position although the aviator grazed some trees in making his forced landing 30 yards from a field where a football match was in progress.

Mrs. Eliott Lynn later performed feats in another aeroplane piloted by herself. (A. and N.Z.)

GEORGE HILLS—IOI.

THOUGHT HE WAS ONLY 100.

LONDON, April 4.

While a number of guests vrere eating the birthday cake at the home of Mr. George Hills, of Penge, in celebration of his 100 th birthday, they were surprised when the vicar entered and announced: "Well, we are a year late. I could not find the birth record of Mr. Hills in the 1826 register, so I went back and found it in the 1825 register. Mr. Hills therefore is 101 years of age."

Mi*. Hills is an inveterate cigar smoker. He spends hours listening-in at his three-valve wireless set.—(A. and N.Z.)