WAS IT A SEA SERPENT?

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2495, 7 May 1909, Page 2

WAS IT A SEA SERPENT?

SNAKE COLLECTOR’S EXPER-

lENCE

Mx* M . -H. Case, while collecting reptiles at Long Bay, near Sydney, underwent a remarkable experience recently with a venomous tiger, snake, which nearly resulted in the man and not tile snake being made a victim in the interests o!'scientific research. The" collector managed to secure'a tiger snake, a black snake, and a blue lizard. Not being desirous of keeping the reptiles alive he tied the tiger snake in a small bag by itself and secured the b'ack snake and : the lizartf in another bag. He carefully, weighted the- bags with stones and proceeded to- drown the lot in a kerosene tin containing water, taking particular care to see that no part of the bags appeared above the surface. After leaving the snakes under water for five hours he took them out and found that they were apparently dead. He then squeezed the wind and water from their bodies and placed them together in one bag prior to preserving them in spirits. Seven hours s later Mr Case, having obtained the spirits, went to the hag and untied the string. He put his hand in the bag and caught hold of what he believed was the dead tiger snake. Much to his consternation it was very much alive, and, on - being drawn from the hag, it made a savage attack on the hand which held it. Luckily its attempts to strike Mr Case were unsuccessful. It .still suffered from its lengthy immersion, and-its- movements were slow. --It cameAiiear enough to striking, however, to male- the situation air* unenviable one, so, the collector struck it a blow across, the; .head, fvhich reduced itito,:submission; It- wasAtgain placed in the bag,' v. nich was fastened securely, but bn the bag being opened again the. same; evening the:tiger, snake, -was found to have fully recovered both f ront the blow land the hath*; Asitwas ..-in >a bad mood aiid hissing and spitting viciously ■■ the. bag was again fastened and placed in the Water with a couple of bricks on top of it to keep it down. \?tor !•} hours it was transferred to the -hint -jar :. -Neither the black snake nor i M.rt J shewed any signs of life lifter Leing-taken out of the water. Mr

Case states that although he has drowned numbers of shakes, sdmo of which were 10ft in length, he MjUnever before witnessed such a revival.