CUR/3/3/3/51

Published

Part

• 1923-11-08 (Creation)

Zoological Society of London

SUMMARY: The text describes Miss Proctor safely handling a small but powerful boa by securing its head and tail. It recounts a king cobra at the Bronx Zoo that refused to eat until offered a coach whip snake, after which long, thin strips of beef were cut to mimic its preferred food. CONTENT: The neck of a human being is just the sort of a "warmer" that a tropical snake loves to coil about—and squeeze—so Miss Proctor adopts the simple "Safety First" measure of holding the head and tail securely as she handles this small but surprisingly powerful boa. King cobras are another variety of Miss Proctor's charges likely to become obnoxious at times. Or, at least, that has been the experience of other curators. WHEN this monarch among snakes arrived at the Bronx Zoo he registered his dis- like of the institution and his objection to re- maining in it by refusing to eat at all. As he is a cannibal he was offered every species of crawl- ing thing the authorities had ever heard of a cobra eating. But no! Nothing doing! Never in this world, so said the cobra in question, if his expression mirrored his thoughts. At length a "coach whip," a nice, five-foot appetizing morsel, was sent in for the rebel's breakfast. That hit the spot. The king cobra ate and demanded more of the same. And there the scheme struck a snag, for coach whips cost three dollars each and aren't to be had at all times for a striking monarch's fastidious taste. What was to be done? The diet of coach whip had been kept up while the curator engaged in thought, and now long, thin strips of beef were cut in the length of the favorite food