WILD ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY 



OFFER OF £500 FOE A MONSTER BOA-CONSTRICTOE. 



The following letter appeared in Zand and Water, 

 June 16, 1877, from a correspondent in Venezuela, giving 

 an account of an enormous serpent that existed in the 

 neighbourhood of Maturin. The account was to my mind 

 fabulous. 



" Caraccas, Venezuela, 

 "April 16, 1877. 



" I saw an interesting account of an anaconda you have in 

 the Zoological Gardens, which appears to be considered of 

 immense proportion. 



" In the Eastern States and in the small rivers which flow into 

 the Orinoco there are large numbers, much larger than the one 

 the Society has. About two leagues from a friend's house at 

 Maturin there is one living in a large pond, whose length is 

 little short of 36 ft., and about a yard in diameter. My friend, 

 Mr. G. F. Tucker, would no doubt be happy to give you 

 further information, as he is desirous, and has been trying for 

 some time past, to catch the reptile alive, which is very difficult, 

 it being very shy. My friend has only seen his full length on 

 two occasions, when he was able to take a fair measurement." 



As I thought there could be no harm in taking notice of 

 the statements, I accordingly wrote the following reply : — 



" Should Mr. Cooke succeed in sending to England a living 

 serpent of the dimensions given in his letter, I can assure him, 

 if the animal arrives in anything like good condition, it would 

 realize at least £500." 



To this I received no answer. One day, however, a 

 gentleman, whom, judging by his style and dress, I took 

 to be a missionary, called at my office and asked to see 

 me. " Are you Mr. Bartlett ? " said he, at the same time 

 looking excited and angry. I replied, " I am that indi- 

 vidual." 



" You may perhaps call to mind that you wrote a letter 

 in Land and Water offering £500 for a large serpent ? " 



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