ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN. 



657 



swine are destroying all kinds of reptiles, — 

 particularly the useful species; which is not a 

 part of Nature's plan. The natural enemies of 

 the smaller snakes (the mouse-eating species), 

 are skunks, weasels, otters and foxes. The rac- 

 coon is also a snake-eater. While our economic 

 series is new, we will present to our visitors the 

 better known snake-killing mammals, in the 

 shape of the mongoose, the kusimanse and suri- 

 cate, — all Old World species that are notorious 

 snake-eaters. While mentioning these animals, 

 it is well to explain that these nimble creatures 

 do not hesitate to attack the deadly species. 

 WTiile the general idea is to the effect that in 

 their combats with cobras and vipers they are 

 bitten, then, after the inevitable death of the 

 deadly creature the courageous little mammal 

 rushes off to some secret patch of shrubbery, 

 gnaws on some wonderful leaves, and by so do- 

 ing immedately counteracts the deadly effects 

 of the poison, the truth of the matter is that 

 these snake-fighters are seldom bitten. If such 

 is the case, they die. Their motions are so won- 

 derfully active that the snake is bewildered and 

 is unable to strike effectively. The reptile's 

 enemy dashes about it in circles, or cuts eccen- 

 tric angles at such a speed that the attacking 

 animal looks like a mere streak. Then there is 

 a dash at the snake, a crunch of powerful jaws 

 supplied with long, sharp teeth that penetrate 

 vital parts, and the fight is over. 



We hope that our economic series will be of 

 interest and instruction to teachers and their 

 classes, to agriculturists and many who have 

 asked us about the possible value of snakes. 

 The series will be supplied with descriptive 

 labels, which will be duly elaborated according 

 to the trend of questions coming from our visit- 

 ors, a practice that we have always followed. 



A NEW BUSHMASTER. 



THE collection in the Reptile House has 

 been enriched by the addition of an excep- 

 tionally fine example of the bushmaster, 

 {Lachesis mtitus), from the Island of Trinidad. 

 Like all of our former specimens, about five in 

 number, during the past ten years, the speci- 



men was obtained through the courtesy of Mr. 

 R. R. Mole and his son Mr. Howard Mole, of 

 Port-of-Spain, Trinidad. Tliese magnificent 

 and deadly vipers, representing the largest and 

 most formidable species of the New World 

 poisonous serpents, are very delicate and nerv- 

 ous as captives. Adult captive specimens have 

 never been known to feed, but it is our constant 

 endeavor to make one of these reptiles feel 

 enough at home to take food voluntarily. The 

 present sjiecimen has been given a big cage, 

 with a generous bed of damp sphagnum moss, 

 and a rustic shelf on which to climb. 



The bushmaster, or "sirocucu," attains a 

 length of twelve feet, and inhabits tropical 

 America generally. It is boldly marked with 

 inky black rhombs on a pale orange or pinkish 

 ground color, with a scalation so rough as to 

 suggest the surface of a pineapple. 



Following is an interesting letter from Mr. 

 Mole, describing the capture of our new speci- 

 men: — 



"I send you per S.S. 'Marowipue.' sailing 

 to-day, two Lachesis mutus, each about eight 

 feet. Thej' were both caught by the same man 

 and in the same neighborhood, within two days 

 of each other, and I believe them to be a pair. 

 Mj- father tells me that he has never had or 

 seen two Lachesis niufus together at the same 

 time and he thinks it an extremely rare occur- 

 rence, and the chances are that they will feed. 

 I shall be glad to hear of any results of any 

 experiments you make, and whether they can be 

 made to feed. 



"I am sorry to inform you that the price 

 of Ljochesis mutus has gone up. It is owing to 

 the mongoose, whose destructive work is going 

 on at a great pace. Our hunters say that they 

 cannot catch poisonous snakes at the old price, 

 as they are extremely rare, and the risk is too 

 great. 



"I regret to say that wliile the second and 

 smaller snake was being bagged, he twisted 

 and broke his neck, striking through the bag 

 and squirting poison on my father's chin. I 

 am, therefore, only able to send you one." 



R. L. D. 



