NATURAL HISTORY. 



139 



does not suffer to any great extent, one 

 may hope, by careful treatment, to save the 

 life. 



The great shock which usually" follows a 

 snake bite is, in a great number of cases, 

 due to fright. 



One may feel reasonably sure, if on ex- 

 amination there are found 2 distinct punct- 

 ures, that it is the bite of a poisonous 

 snake. If possible the snake should be 

 examined to determine if it has the double 

 fangs observed in the poisonous snakes. 



The innocuous snakes often bite fiercely, 

 but they will as a rule be found to lack 

 the highly developed fangs of the rattle- 

 snake and cobra. There are some innocu- 

 ous snakes which have the fangs but they 

 seldom bite. 



The first thing to be done is to tie, if 

 possible, a ligature, drawn tightly and 

 twisted up with a stick, around the part 

 between the bite and the heart. Next in- 

 ject, by means of a hypodermic syringe, a 

 solution of permanganate of potassium 

 around and into the punctures. The 

 strength should be kept up with alcoholic 

 drinks. In case of suspended respiration, 

 artificial respiration should be resorted to. 

 Efforts should never be relaxed until the 

 end. 



If every traveller in a snake infested 

 country would provide himself with a 

 hypodermic syringe and a solution of per- 

 manganate of potassium, we would hear 

 of few deaths from snake and spider bites. 

 The person bitten should be kept quiet, 

 and a cathartic administered. When the 

 bite is in the neck or head there is little 

 hope for the victim. 



SPARROWS AND STARLINGS. 



Allegheny has a woodland of some 250 

 acres which is used as a park and picnic 

 resort. 



f We have many native song birds in it, but 

 also have many sparrows, and we should 

 like to get rid of the latter. They have 

 driven the native birds out of our down 

 town park (100 acres) and now are infest- 

 ing the suburbs. 



I am told the German starling has gotten 

 a good start in Central Park, New York, 

 and is breeding in the church steeples 

 about the park. 



We have a dozen starlings (caged) in 

 our park and I should be loth to liberate 

 them if they are likely to drive away our 

 native song birds. However, my intention 

 is to liberate the old birds during the time 

 they are rearing young, and to watch their 

 movement in reference to other birds, and 

 cage them as soon as the young are able 

 to fly. We have wire covered cages, 30 by 

 8 by 12 feet high for each variety; some of 

 them are 16 feet instead of 8 feet wide. 



Starlings have been introduced on the 

 Pacific as well as Atlantic coast and I don't 



propose to lose our few remaining song- 

 sters if the starlings show a tendency to 

 molest and drive them away. 



Should be glad to hear of the results fol- 

 lowing the liberation of starlings in Central 

 Park. 



The starling is a beautiful bird and a 

 good songster, which cannot be said of the 

 sparrow. 



D. L. Fulton, Allegheny, Pa. 



ANSWER. 



Replying to inquiry concerning the 

 starlings: Eighty of these birds were re- 

 leased in Central Park, under the direction 

 of Mr. Eugene Schieffelin, March 6, 1890, 

 and 40 on April 25, 1891. 



These birds have bred and multiplied and 

 the species seems to be firmly established 

 in this immediate vicinity. I have received 

 reports from Staten Island, Bayonne, N. J., 

 New Rochelle, N. Y., and Kingsbridge, 

 N. Y., of its occurrence in numbers varying 

 from one to 40 individuals. 



As to the economic aspects of the case, 

 it is as yet too early to hazard an opinion. 

 I have had no personal experience with 

 starlings in their own country and do not 

 know whether or not we are to be con- 

 gratulated on this addition to our avifauna. 



I see one or more of the birds almost 

 daily — they are resident throughout the 

 year — and at all times they seem intent 

 on their own affairs, paying no attention 

 to the house sparrows which, of course, 

 are always numerous. On principle I am 

 opposed to the introduction of foreign 

 birds, believing we can better devote our 

 energies to the protection and encourage- 

 ment of our native species. 



Frank M. Chapman, 



American Museum of Natural History, 



New York City. 



THE WAR AND FRENCH FASHIONS. 



Ever since the Audubon societies began 

 the war on bird millinery, the fact has been 

 recognized that American women are (or 

 think they are) as dependent upon the hired 

 milliners of Paris for millinery models as 

 the world is dependent on sheep for wool. 

 So long as French milliners ordered that 

 stuffed birds and birds' wings should be 

 worn, it appeared that American women — - 

 all save a few — felt they must slavishly 

 obey. 



Three months ago, when a naturalist 

 who had not the fear of Paree before his 

 eyes, declared in a bird-protection lecture 

 to a fashionable New York audience that 

 millinery fashions for American women 

 should be fixed in New York, by American 

 women, the leaders of fashion laughed him 

 to scorn. " Impossible! " said one and all. 

 The speaker contended that in view of the 

 originality and ingenuity of American in- 

 ventors, it was a shame that Paris should 

 be allowed to dictate all our feminine 



