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Story
August 22, 1885
Western Kansas World
Wakeeney, Trego County, Kansas
What is this article about?
A rare whistling and singing snake, captured near Deer Park, Md., is now at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington. It resembles a mocking-bird in sound, jumps like a frog, and differs from known species. The captor mistook it for a bird.
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Whistling and Singing Snake.
New York Herald.
A snake of a very rare kind is now at the Smithsonian institution, Washington. It came there on Friday, having been captured near the famous Buck Horn wall, on the line of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, near Deer Park, Md. The peculiarity of the snake is—that it can and does whistle and sing like a mocking-bird. In general appearance it is like the ordinary snake except its head is shaped somewhat like a pug-dog. It is four feet long, and the largest part of its body is four and a quarter inches in circumference. When it whistles or sings it makes a series of jumps like a frog.
The head snake professor of the Smithsonian institution is now at Wood's Hall, Mass., and it will probably be sent there for his examination and classification. It is in shape and color altogether different from the African singing snakes and besides issues a louder and more harmonial sound or whistle than is recorded of any of the classes of snakes that are found in the East Indies. A similar character of snake is said in the books to be frequently seen on the island of Sumatra. So far this is the first singing or whistling snake that has been found in this country. The man who caught it supposed he was chasing a young mocking-bird.
New York Herald.
A snake of a very rare kind is now at the Smithsonian institution, Washington. It came there on Friday, having been captured near the famous Buck Horn wall, on the line of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, near Deer Park, Md. The peculiarity of the snake is—that it can and does whistle and sing like a mocking-bird. In general appearance it is like the ordinary snake except its head is shaped somewhat like a pug-dog. It is four feet long, and the largest part of its body is four and a quarter inches in circumference. When it whistles or sings it makes a series of jumps like a frog.
The head snake professor of the Smithsonian institution is now at Wood's Hall, Mass., and it will probably be sent there for his examination and classification. It is in shape and color altogether different from the African singing snakes and besides issues a louder and more harmonial sound or whistle than is recorded of any of the classes of snakes that are found in the East Indies. A similar character of snake is said in the books to be frequently seen on the island of Sumatra. So far this is the first singing or whistling snake that has been found in this country. The man who caught it supposed he was chasing a young mocking-bird.
What sub-type of article is it?
Curiosity
Animal Story
Extraordinary Event
What themes does it cover?
Nature
What keywords are associated?
Whistling Snake
Singing Snake
Smithsonian Institution
Deer Park
Mocking Bird
Sumatra
Where did it happen?
Near Deer Park, Md.; Smithsonian Institution, Washington; Wood's Hall, Mass.
Story Details
Location
Near Deer Park, Md.; Smithsonian Institution, Washington; Wood's Hall, Mass.
Event Date
Friday
Story Details
A rare snake that whistles and sings like a mocking-bird was captured near Deer Park, Md., and sent to the Smithsonian Institution. It jumps like a frog when vocalizing, has a pug-dog-like head, and is the first such snake found in the country. The captor mistook it for a young bird.