288 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



THE VENEZUELAN BOA. 



A NEW BOA FROM VENEZUELA. 



THROUGH the courtesy of Mr. R. R. Mole, 

 of Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, the collection of 

 serpents has been enriched by the largest 

 and finest specimen of Boa constrictor ever exhibited 

 in the Reptile House. The big fellow is eleven 

 feet and seven inches long, but looks much larger 

 owing to the proportionately very heavy body and 

 large head. The body is five inches in diameter 

 at the thickest part. These proportions are con- 

 siderably in e.xcess of the average boa, for the 

 present species — the scientific name of which has 

 been popularly applied to great serpents generally — 

 is not one of the giants of the family Boidic. 



The new boa has an interesting history. It 

 suddenly began a series of depredations about the 

 town of Amacaro, Venezuela, stealing chickens, 

 turkeys, pet dogs and occasionally a favorite cat. 

 The visits of the reptile were invariably nocturnal 

 and so irregular that it repeatedly avoided capture. 

 At length its name became a terror to the house- 

 wives, and a regular watch was kept for the snake. 

 This finally brought success, for it was discovered 

 while on one of its anticipated marauding expedi- 

 tions and a noose was worked over its head, then 

 pulled tight. The noose cutting into its neck, 

 making a wide scar which can yet be seen. In 

 vain the powerful reptile threshed about, striking 



in all directions and hissing vigorously, but to no 

 purpose, as it was finally dragged into a box. 



Hearing of the capture, Mr. Mole hurried from 

 Port-of-Spain to the Venezuelan coast, secured 

 the snake and placed it in a comfortable crate, 

 lined and padded this to keep out a cold draught, 

 and shipped the reptile to New York. 



The Trinidad steamer arri\'ed in New York 

 during one of our eccentric "cold waves" of the 

 early spring, and when the boa reached the Park 

 the crate was hurriedly opened, revealing, to all 

 appearances, a dead snake. A bath-tub was 

 quickly filled with water heated to about ioo° 

 Fahrenheit. Into this the snake was placed, and 

 energetically rubbed and massaged. For over half 

 an hour it showed absolutely no signs of life, when 

 the tail moved slightly. This was a good sign, 

 showing the creature to be actually alive, though by 

 no means in a sure condition to recover, for with 

 large snakes thus thoroughly chilled tlie lungs 

 entirely collapse, in which condition the reptile may 

 remain unharmed for some hours. However, if 

 the dormant condition continues, the lung tissue 

 becomes so congested that the first inhalation, 

 coming with a return of necessary warmth, tears 

 the delicate membranes, when there is an immediate 

 hemorrhage and the reptile dies. It was this con- 

 dition we feared, and the effect of the snake's first 

 indrawn breath was watched with anxietv. Mas- 



