SERPENTS 



by a quick dart, either upon the head or neck of the snake 

 disable the reptile at one bite. The oft-repeated nonsense 

 of the ichneumon finding a remedy for the cure of the 

 poison is now nearly exploded ; the fact is, that the 

 ichneumon dies if the poison is administered to the 

 wound in sufficient quantity. These facts are now well 

 established by some of the best, most competent, and 

 undoubted authorities. 



When a large and powerful poisonous serpent strikes a 

 small animal, the blow is struck with the swiftness of an 

 electric shock, the wounded and poisoned animal is in- 

 stantly paralyzed, and frequently dies in less than thirty 

 seconds. Having disposed, for the time, of the supposed 

 remedy of the ichneumon and the imagined immunity of 

 this animal from the effects of the poison, let us take a 

 further step into this very difficult and always dangerous 

 and unpleasant subject for investigation. How few persons 

 can be found who are sufficiently acquainted with the 

 subject, and have the requisite knowledge and determina- 

 tion to enter fully and fairly into the inquiry ; for in all 

 countries there exists a superstitious dread of snakes, and 

 it is extremelj' rare to find any one, not interested in taking 

 advantage of the fears or credulity of his fellows, who 

 would be able or skilful enough to catch and handle the 

 most poisonous serpents fresh from their native haunts. 

 Certainly not one person in twenty thousand ; and unless 

 this could be done, we are reduced to believe the crafty and 

 designing rascals known as snake charmers, catchers, etc. 

 To such people, the handling of snakes — even the most 

 deadly — is a very easy and simple amusement. As before 

 stated, how few persons could be induced to touch or 

 examine closely a creature that, by a slight stroke from its 

 tooth, might produce almost instant death ! 



I must confess to having, in former years, practised, in 

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