146 SPENCER FULLERTON BAIRD 



matics) were afterwards among his most useful collectors 

 of specimens for the National Museum, during their 

 connection with various Government surveys. 



"There is probably no naturalist, especially if Herpe- 

 tology were one of his specialties, about whom more or 

 less apocryphal tales are not told of the escape of uncanny 

 beasts from insecure prisons, to the consternation of his 

 neighbors. During the period when my father was investi- 

 gating this branch of natural history, he kept the snakes 

 which he wished to observe alive in barrels; and, while 

 allowing for the usual mythical stories, there is no question 

 but that they did occasionally escape, being, however, 

 recaptured in a short time. On one occasion a hissing- 

 (or blowing) viper got out from his quarters, and, although 

 my father made diligent search, could not be found. My 

 father then took my mother into confidence in regard to 

 the mishap. She had no feeling of repugnance, or fear, 

 as to any non-poisonous snakes; but there was some doubt 

 in their minds whether my grandmother Churchill would 

 consider a meeting with even this innocent reptile agree- 

 able, and it was very certain that my mother's sister- 

 in-law, Mrs. Wm. Churchill, who was at that time on a 

 visit to them, would be very much frightened at the bare 

 suggestion that one of the snakes was loose in the house. 

 It was finally decided that the chance of an encounter 

 between his snakeship and the members of the family was 

 unlikely, so unlikely that the remote chance would be 

 better run than the certainty of nervous apprehension 

 into which they would be thrown if they were in constant 

 anticipation of it; and that therefore it would be better 

 to say nothing. The event proved the conclusion to be 

 a wise one. Some days after (it was in cold weather), 

 my mother found the truant coiled up behind the stove 



