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. 
Gunther, 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. Gunther, 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 fioor. 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. 
267 
