Through the Brazilian Wilderness | Page 8

cannot now remember the details of the incident.
Doctor Brazil informed me that the mussurama, like the king-snake,
was not immune to the colubrine poison. A mussurama in his
possession, which had with impunity killed and eaten several

rattlesnakes and representatives of the lachecis genus, also killed and
ate a venomous coral-snake, but shortly afterward itself died from the
effects of the poison. It is one of the many puzzles of nature that these
American serpents which kill poisonous serpents should only have
grown immune to the poison of the most dangerous American
poisonous serpents, the pit-vipers, and should not have become
immune to the poison of the coral-snakes which are commonly
distributed throughout their range. Yet, judging by the one instance
mentioned by Doctor Brazil, they attack and master these coral-snakes,
although the conflict in the end results in their death. It would be
interesting to find out whether this attack was exceptional, that is,
whether the mussurama has or has not as a species learned to avoid the
coral-snake. If it was not exceptional, then not only is the instance
highly curious in itself, but it would also go far to explain the failure of
the mussurama to become plentiful.
For the benefit of those who are not acquainted with the subject, I may
mention that the poison of a poisonous snake is not dangerous to its
own species unless injected in very large doses, about ten times what
would normally be injected by a bite; but that it is deadly to all other
snakes, poisonous or non-poisonous, save as regards the very few
species which themselves eat poisonous snakes. The Indian hamadryad,
or giant cobra, is exclusively a snake-eater. It evidently draws a sharp
distinction between poisonous and non-poisonous snakes, for Mr.
Ditmars has recorded that two individuals in the Bronx Zoo which are
habitually fed on harmless snakes, and attack them eagerly, refused to
attack a copperhead which was thrown into their cage, being evidently
afraid of this pit-viper. It would be interesting to find out if the
hamadryad is afraid to prey on all pit-vipers, and also whether it will
prey on its small relative, the true cobra--for it may well be that, even if
not immune to the viper poison, it is immune to the poison of its close
ally, the smaller cobra.
All these and many other questions would be speedily settled by Doctor
Brazil if he were given the opportunity to test them. It must be
remembered, moreover, that not only have his researches been of
absorbing value from the standpoint of pure science but that they also
have a real utilitarian worth. He is now collecting and breeding the
mussurama. The favorite prey of the mussurama is the most common

and therefore the most dangerous poisonous snake of Brazil, the
jararaca, which is known in Martinique as the fer-de-lance. In
Martinique and elsewhere this snake is such an object of terror as to be
at times a genuine scourge. Surely it would be worth while for the
authorities of Martinique to import specimens of the mussurama to that
island. The mortality from snake-bite in British India is very great.
Surely it would be well worth while for the able Indian Government to
copy Brazil and create such an institute as that over which Doctor Vital
Brazil is the curator.
At first sight it seems extraordinary that poisonous serpents, so dreaded
by and so irresistible to most animals, should be so utterly helpless
before the few creatures that prey on them. But the explanation is easy.
Any highly specialized creature, the higher its specialization, is apt to
be proportionately helpless when once its peculiar specialized traits are
effectively nullified by an opponent. This is eminently the case with the
most dangerous poisonous snakes. In them a highly peculiar
specialization has been carried to the highest point. They rely for attack
and defence purely on their poison-fangs. All other means and methods
of attack and defence have atrophied. They neither crush nor tear with
their teeth nor constrict with their bodies. The poison-fangs are slender
and delicate, and, save for the poison, the wound inflicted is of a trivial
character. In consequence they are helpless in the presence of any
animal which the poison does not affect. There are several mammals
immune to snake- bite, including various species of hedgehog, pig, and
mongoose--the other mammals which kill them do so by pouncing on
them unawares or by avoiding their stroke through sheer quickness of
movement; and probably this is the case with most snake-eating birds.
The mongoose is very quick, but in some cases at least--I have
mentioned one in the "African Game Trails"--it permits itself to be
bitten by poisonous snakes, treating the bite with utter indifference.
There should be extensive experiments made to