SERPENTS 



handle serpents that were harmless or said to be so. I 

 well remember an instance of this supposed harmless- 

 ness. Two snakes were brought to the Gardens and 

 handed to me as being perfectly harmless and tame ; the 

 person who had them allowed them to crawl round his 

 neck and creep up his coat-sleeves, and to all appearance 

 he could handle them just as he pleased. As the species 

 was unknown to me I put them into a bag and carried 

 them to the British Museum in order to obtain their 

 proper names. I accordingly introduced them to Dr. 

 Giinther, taking them out of the bag and handling them 

 with perfect confidence. The Doctor took one of them 

 and allowed it to crawl round his arm, and I, equally 

 confident of the creature's good behaviour, did the same 

 with the other one. Dr. Giinther, not feeling quite sure 

 that the species was non-poisonous, obtained from one of 

 the published works in the Museum a description of the 

 species, and, on reading the account given of it, found it 

 was stated to be poisonous. We looked a little uncomfort- 

 able, and the doctor suggested that we had better return 

 them to the bag. To this I quite agreed, and in en- 

 deavouring to do so they became spiteful ; the one I held 

 bit me, so I let it fall on the floor. To my surprise the 

 Doctor had been similarly treated by the one he held. 

 We laughed, and both thought it judicious and worth 

 while to suck our wounded fingers or thumbs. We 

 also inquired of each other if any particular sensations 

 were felt. Fortunately we experienced no inconvenience, 

 and, therefore, came to the conclusion that the bite was 

 harmless, and that the species was easily offended and 

 objected to be thrust into the bag. 



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