SNAKfcS !

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 13929, 12 June 1909, Page 6

SNAKES !

"Professor" ."\>< 1 ey, of snake fame, called at tne oltice of The Dai'y Tclegi aph one <.. i,> last week and introduced a frienu in the, person of Mr. Frederick Fox, ol North Botany. As this was not his show, ivlornssey modestly stood down while i'ox explained that they had been to the University "milking" snakes — that is, enticing their venom from them — for the benefit of Dr. Chapman, of tho University, and incidentally for their own (Morn&bey's and l'ox's) profit. Then he came to the point, and, putting down a sugar-bag, proceeded to untie the stung with which the mouth was tied. He also had a friend — or, lUOIO htrioth, an acquaintance, for bo catoiullv explained that they had noc jet reached the Iriend&hip stage — to introduce. Tins was no less than a new species of snake. "Don't be afraid," he said, "I've got a Liger hare." As h" smd this ho lifted his guernsey and tapped a swollen band that writhed as he touched it, showing that he had a snake inside his siiirt. "I'm alive with them/ ho said. "I'm a snake-charmer. I've l>oon ut it for years, and it pajs l>ettor than fishing, which I used to do. I have caught thousands of ''u.n, and I give exhibitions around ..j. Perouse, Long Da>, and Bay when the tourists go there. 1 cs ; I've been bitten 6'o or 70 times. There's whore tins fellow bit 1110 this morning," pointing to a slight swelling with wolf-defino'l punctilios on the knuckle. "Yes; I've got an antidote, but I reckon I'm pretty well what jou could call immune to it." All this time ho was fingering th<^ sugar-bag, and rolling tho top down till he hioii^ht to view tho coils of the occupant "Isn't lie a beautj 1J"1 J " he retuaiked, us he caught the tail and drew it half out, letting it slide back again as tho reptile made a vicious jab at tho side of the bag. "He's very quick and v< r\ vicious, biting all the tune." It w.is a small snake of a deep black colour, with yellow bands across tho back, somewhat similar to tho diamond snake, and slate-coloured underneath. It was not thicker than a man's finger. "The> did not know the species at the I'nivoi sitv ," ho said, "ana I don't know it. I havo never seen it lx'fiu \ hut 1 tell üm v is particularly venomous. It ib only 18 to 20 inches long, yet we got moro poison from it than there* is in a 4ft. tiger snake." He added that this particular snake bit him throe times when ho was getting it from tho hollow tree at La Perouso in which it, with another, had its home two or throe weeks ago. "I'm not quite familiar with it \ei, you see," said Fox. "Nothing like these." And ho opened another bag, and pulled out a handful of writhing reptiles of half-a-dozen different species. Then ho unbuttoned his shirt-front, and, inserting his hand, pulled out the refo re-re ferred-to "tiger," which was nestling round his waist. It coiled round his hand and arm, and looked wickedly around for a moment or so. but appeared relieved when loturnod to tho shirt-front. So did the onlookei-s.