Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, September 2, 1894, Page 13

STORY OF THECENSUS Photograph of a Continent, Revealing Its Achievements and Misfortunes, PORTER REVIEWS THE WORK SUPT. Hopes aud /mbitions of Millions Arrayed in Col: mned Figures, ARMY OF FIFTY THOUSAND INTERVIEWERS “The Lights and £hadows, the Progress and Drawbacks of the Nation, A STUPENDOUS AND MOMENTOUS WORK A Comprehensive Review of the Eleventh Census and What It Demonstrates—Vin- dication of the Count—Decrease of the ¥ rth Bate—Future Growth, The average reader of a newspaper will re- <ol In undisguised terror at the dismal ar- ray of figures, the ghastly tabulated state- ments, the never-ending string of knock- down facts which the census suggests. There 1s, however, a broader and more attractive view of the census which is rarely brought out; a view of intense concern to the na- tion and touching in one form or another al- most every human interest. Approached from this standpoint the sombre statistical &arb falls off and a subject with life and soul 18 revealed, breathing of the achievements and misfortunes, the progress and drawbacks, the joys and sorrows, the crimes and no- bllity, the greed and the self-sacrifices, the hopes and the ambitions of millions of human beings. It is the photograph of a continent. In the area whioh is shown many of the mighty nations of the world can be tucked away In corners upon its broad surface. Surely we have Lere a theme rising above mere columns of figures and an Inspiration that will transport us beyond the enumera- tion of hard, dry facts. To my mind it would be difficult to imagine a more fascinating task than that of photo- graphing these millions, ia which the field was a vast continent reaching from ocean to ocean and spreading from the snow-clad mountains of Alaska to the tropical ever- glades of the gulf. INTERVIEWING TWELVE MILLION Those engaged in the work had to talk with all sorts and conditions of men and women on almost every topic of human in terest. Over twelve million people had to be seen; over twelve million dwelling houses must be visited. On foot went this army 50,000 strong, elbowing their way into the crowded tenement houses of New York city, where more human beings exist to the square aile than in any city in the world, on horse- ‘back along the mountain paths of Wyoming and Montana in search of the little mining camps, in boats on the rivers and inlets of the northern extremity of the republic into the flshing villages of Alaska, in caravans accompanied by artists and photographers far into the Indian reservations, not only to as. certain the number but the condition of the numerous tribes of North American Indians In an old church building in Washington, D. ©., may be found nearly 20,000,000 of original zchedules upon which are written the names and a brief history of nearly 63,000,000 hu- man beings. These myriad sheets of paper como as it were from every home and dwell- ing place within the domain of the stars and stripes. Nay, more than this, not a farm, a factory, a mill, a business house, a corpora- tlon, a person, a fishing boat, a court of Tecord, a county recorder's or registration office, & municipal or state bureau, a charit- able Institution, a school, a church or a prison was omitted. The history of all these operations formed no small part of the sta- tistical harvest of 1890, and engaged the time and ingenuity of the statisticlans in classifying, tabulating and preparing for final publication. STUPENDOUS AND MOMENTOUS WORK. The widest range of humanity, of climate, of conditions, of endeavor are found in thes: returns. From huts of mud and surround- ings little better than those of the primitive age to dwellings of oriental splendor and princely magnificence; from the simplest and «crudest operations In fishing, wining, procur- ing food supplies and furs, to the most intricate operations alded by invention, elec- tricity and the highest human ingenuity; from conditions barbaric to conditions typical of the highest civilization. To decide the avenues by which these millions shall b reached, the maaner this continent shall be traversed, the best methods to be employed, the Information to be sought and to put the army in motion is Indeed a rare experience and a good fortune that can come to but few men. The field work of the United States census when undertaken by an impromptu organization brought into existence for the purpose Is one of the most stupendous and ‘momentous civil undertakings a man can assume. Not only is the census the condi- tlon precedent to our form of government, and by it we apportion both direct taxation and political representation, but by guiding legislation and thought of all kinds it touches every artery and every vein of our ma- terial, physichl and moral progress, and thus In some degree affects the Interest of almost every individual. THE ROMANCE OF STATISTICS. The amount of information gathered al- mest surpasses belief. The enumerator and special agent had to clpher out the crops, appralse the value, number the live stock and estimate the eggs, butter and cheese of every farmer. Krom the manufacturer and mine owner was obtained the number of hands employed, wages pald, capital in- vested, quantity of product and value of production; to say nothing of the still further information demanded by nearly 100 expert special agents who devoted several years to fully investigating special branches of production in the agricultural, mining and manufacturing branches of the census. The fisherman was interviewed as to the specie and quantity of his catch; the florist to find out the variety and development of green- house production and the surprising sums expended therefor; the horticulturist given an opportunity to tell a statistical romance on the expansion of truck farming and the witiculturist Interrogated in relation to the marvelous achlevement in native wines-mak- ing. Transportation by rail and water, re- vealing a rallway, lake, ocean and river system equal to that of all the rest of the world, occupled for three or four years some of the keenest experts and accountants in the world, while the entire range of in- surance, lite, fire and marine, involving in- terests that when -measured by dollars make one dizzy, was covered with a thoroughness and detail never before attempted by any government. A TRINITY OF GLOOM. That trinity of gloom—taxation, debt and death—occupied no Inconsiderable smount of thought, Transcripts of every regis- trar's and every recorder's ‘office where deaths and individual debts are recorded were searched and transcripts were made for the purpose of sscertaining the physi- cal and financial strength and weakness of the population, while in the siatistics of special classes and pauperism and erime we were able to guige the moral welfare of the people. Cogulzant alike of the lights and shades of humanity, much that is gratifying and hopeful may be found in the advancement of education, of religlous sentiment, of home owning and of the gen- ersl lmprovement in morals and increase of thrift It is difficult to paint this picture ex- cept by a few bold strokes, for the detail of it would bec:me tedious and fail of the pur- pPose in mind, that of giving in a few words & conception of the grestest mar- shalling of facts relating to a nation's Jessross evcr attempted by any government n the world. That not a fallure or ab solute miscarriage occurred in any branch of the work speaks as highly for the cou- h___ sciontious, able experts invited to take part In the work as for the thoroughness and eare with which it was planned and brought to a successful termination. A HUNDRED YEARS' PROGRESS. The eleventh census was of unusual in- terest and Importance from the fact that it would show the advance of 100 years' march of the republic—the first century of the nation's life. The frst census had been taken in 1700, the year after the formation of the government under the constitution, and the results of the last enumeration would furnish the material and mark the growth during this important period. On the 1st of June the work of enumeration was begun, and with the exception of a few outstanding districts that month closed with the census practically completed. Then fol- lowed the shipment of the schedules to the office and the first rough tabulation. In Octeber of the same year the results were announced and it was found that the popula- tion exclusive of Indians not taxed accord- ing to the phrase of the constitution was 62,622,250, And this total will stand for all time to come. The count was pushed with ch energy (hat the census office had the official returns ready on the convening of congress in 1860, ‘ausing no delay in the apportionment of national representation, which was made two years in advanc of any other census. Of course there were many who expected a larger total, and among them th» superintendent himself. The work had been done with unusual care. As far as possible the weak spots in the work of 1880 had been strengthened. The usual complaints of ecitles and ambitious towns were answered by partial recounts or by evidence of the correetness of the count, while those making unreasonable and par- tisan attacks for political purposes were given an opportunity to ke the usua inflated and_trustworthy “police! and “school” censuses to meet the great expectations of civic pride and the neces- sities of those anxious to “‘lessen” the per coplita cost of expenditure and magnify the work of the Health department by minin:iz- ing the death rate. Unwilling to wait until the complete tabulation, when the census would prove its own accuraey, the fact that the aggregate population did not come up to popular anticipation was used to stir up the cliims of dissatisfied cities. Several congressional Investigations were made and though one lasted nearly twelve months and was thoroughly conducted by a committee po- litically opposed to the administration at Washington, the office and the work was vin- dicated In every respect. Some fault to be sure was found with the system and sugges- tions made in the line of a permanent cen- sus bureau, but the verdict was that consid- ering the magnitude of the undertaking and the material available for temporary work of his kind the results were remarkably satis- factory and complete. DECREASE OF THE BIRTH RATE. The time has now come for a complete vin- dication of the great count of 1890. The other branches of the eleventh census need no de- fense, for friend and foe alike agree in prai ing the special work without stint, while our £ood statistical brethren across the sea de- clare it stands unequaled. Tt is also gratify ing and perhaps pardonable for me to say In this connection that Canada, Austria and Italy have adopted the scheme of tabulation i1 avgurated by thie eleventh census, and that today Scandinavia, the German government and the municipality of Paris are making a study of the system with a view of adoption in ftuture statistical work. To some perhaps the popu- lar surprise and disappointment at the an nouncement of the total population was suf- ficient evidence of something wrong in the count. Statisticians, however, with any re- gard to thelr reputations would hesitate to accept. this sort of a proof, and as a result 1 o not recall a single statistician of any repu- tation joining in the epidemic of abuse which swept over the land In consequence of an im- agined shortage of a million and a half in the eleventh enumeration of the population of the United States. When questioned on the subject they wisely answered, wait until the tabulation of the population by periods of life and ascertain how many of the inhabi- tants of 1890 were under ten years of age. Should the proportion of the total population under ten years of age be the same as it was in 1880, namely 26.7, if will be time enough to doubt the accuracy of the count. 1If on the other hand the birth rate has suffered a sharp decline the eleventh census will be cor- roborated in one of the most essential points. Estimates and expectations work well some times, but just as you begin to rely upon {his method they take a sudden tumble and the “estimator” is 1znom niously extinsuish d. In this particular instance the birth rate did decline. The population under ten years of age In 1880 was 20.7 per cent; in 1800, 24.3 per cent. Now what does this mean? It means that if the population of 1880 had been maintained in 1890 the population of the country would have been greater by sixteen or seventeen hundred thousand and the ag- gregate population over 64,000,000 This would have been equal to the most liberal estimate of our population and the fact that the actual enumerated population did not equal the estimates can be explained entirely by the falling off in the birth rate during the previous ten years. 2 THE PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE. The more the figures are studied the more convinced any fair minded individual would become that the enumeration of 1890 is syb- stantially exact. Again the falling off in the birth rate finds corroboration In the returns showing the falling off in the size of families from 5.9 in 1570 to 4.9 in 1890. Thus the figures prove that the people of the country, not the superintendent of cen- sus, are responsible for the shortcomings of the population returns of the eleventh enumeration. The actual returns, even if a few of the enumerators have been careless, are always more trustworthy and satisfac- tory than estimates from the most profound statistical sharps. For example, there was Elkanah Watson, who in 1815 estimated the population of the Unit:d States for each decade until 1900. In 1820 he was only about 8,000 out of the way, in 1839 about 32,000, i 1840 in the same neighborhood: in 1850 some- thing like 650,000, and in 1360 over 310,000. Then he took a mighty fall, and was millions too much in 1870 and 1880, closing nearly 15,000,000 too high in 1890, while his esti- mate for 1900 of 100,235,985 ‘will probably ex- czed the autual count by 25,000,000, Not deterred by the ignominious fate of the most accomplished of our estimators, 1 suppose the latter-day statistical prophets will be on hand in 1900 with their com- mendable vehemence and old time exagger- ation. These persons seem to have never heard of the law of decreasing rate of in- crease. Gibbon has shown that the further conquest is carried the wider and the mightier becomes the resistance and the hostility ‘which the _conquering power Is forced to encount>r. ‘So it is with natural growth, whether in wealth or In population. Not only do the limitations of nature become more and more stringent In reducing the rate of increase, but that increass does of itself create moral and social, not to speak of dis- tinctly political tendencies which traverse its own course, and, if not strong enough to defeat further growth or accumulation, do at least make any successive gain more slow and painful. THE FUTURE GROWTH OF POPULATION. What will be the future rate of growth of the republic? On this subject General Walker recently said “There fs reason for belleving that certain forces and tendencies not heretofore felt, or at least not heretofore recognized in our national life, are beginuing to affect power- fully the reproductive capabilities of our people, and that these forces and tenden- cles have contributed in a very large degree within the last decade to bring down a ratio of increase In the native poulation.” What are these forces? To what are they iodustrial, and to what extent soclal? How much of this decrease s due to the fact that the line of agricultural oc- cupation is drawing closer to the great bar- ren plains? That manufacturing is taking its course westward and southward; (hat population s concentrating in our large cities of industrial energy; that the“strug- extent gle for existence in these compacted com- munities increases in severity, and to the concentration of wealth? On the other hand, how much is due to the fact that the population tends increasingly to fashion and social observance; that diet, dress and equipage become more and more artificial; that home life and housekeeping gives way to boarding and residence in ‘flats:” that methods for controlling the size of tamilies be- come better known; that families decrease, children become more burdensome, and mar riage responsibilities are assumed later in life? 1t is difficult to give with any degree of exactitude the pariicular cause for the decroase in_the birth rate, but I have here enumera- ted some of the principal forces which affect the reproductive capabilities of our people. In the eddy and swirl of social and in- dustrial curreuts through which the nation [ Is passing, it Is wholly impossible to esti- mate ite future rate of growth. The pres- ent deeade has begun with financial and business disasters, which will seriously re- tard the growth of population. For the first time in A generation or more the gates of Castle Garden are swinging outward and not inward. Allowing for a still further re- duction in the birth rate and Increase in the marriage age, and in view of the pres- ent conditions and tendencies, the republic will not likely greatly exceed 75,000,000 souls when the century which brought it into existence closes its march of 100 years, v ROBERT P. PORTER. e ARBITRATION IN ONTARIO, There are probably few persons in the United States who do not believe that some means should be adopted for the cultiva- tion and maintenance of better relaticns between employers and employes and for the prevention of such strikes and lock- outs as those from suffered from time larly during the which cur country h to time, and particu- list few months. That there should be some more simple method for the settlement of indurtrial disputes 1s universally admitted, and a method which will at the same time tend to promote a more active sympathy between employers and employes 1s particularly desired. Prob- ably the present gemeration will never see tho complete solution of the labor problem, and possibly it may never be attained, but that ‘something should be done in the way of legislation to meet present conditions is evident. Without attempting to discuss the question as to how far an employer has the right to control the wages of his em- ployes and to fix their hours of labor, or the no less important question as to the right of employes to inaugurate strikes in order to enforce thelr demands, the writer desires to call attention to an act lately passed by the legisiatare of the province of Ontario, Canada, which seems to provide for the amicable settlement of all the more Impcrt- ant industrial disputes likely to aris 1t is entitled “An act respecting councils conciliation and of arbitration Industrial disputes.” The act i3 a rather lengthy one, and only its more important features will be noticed. The word “employer,” as used in It, is de- fined to mean any person or body of per- sons employing not less than ten workmen In one business, and the word ‘“employe,” any person working for such an employer. The subjects of dispute of which the act takes cognizance are * I The price to he paid for work dcne, or in course of being done, whether such dis- agreement shall have arisen with respect to_wages or times of working. Damage alleged to have been done to work, delay in finishing the same, not fin- ishing the same in a good and workmanlike manner or according to agreement, or a dispute respecting materials supplied to em- ployes and alleged to be bad, or unflt, or unsuitable, i 3. The price to be paid for mining any mineral or substance mined or obtained by mining, hewing, quarrying or other process, or the allowances, if any, to be made for bonds, refuse, faults or other causes whe the mining of the mineral substance is im peded. 4. The performance or nonperformance of any stipulation or matter alleged to have been In an agreement, whether in writing or_not, of for settling Insufficient or unwholesome food sup- plied to employes where there fs an agree- ment to victual them, or to supply them Wwith provisions or stores of any kind. 6. Ill-ventilated or dangerius workings or places in mines, or unwholesome or wne sanitary rooms or other places of accommo- dition ‘in which work is being performed, or want of necessary conveniences in con. nection with such rooms or places, acloomTe dismissal or employment under at o e sgroemen any employe or number of 8. "The dismissal of an employ, < ployes for thelr connection with any trone or Iabor orgaization, Por the settlement of disputes to these matters, provision is lnalx';er;gr“: council of conciliation, and a council of ars bitration, both of which act under the di. rection of a registrar of councils appointed by the lieutenant governor. A eouncll of conciliation consists of four persons, two of Which are nominated by each of the parties to the dispute. A joint written statement of the case Is submitted to them whenever possible, but 1f no such statement can be agreed upon, each party provides them with a statement, after which a meeting is con. vened at such a time and place as is most convenient for the parties concerned. At this meeting an effort Is made to bring about an adjustment of the dispute. In cass a settlement cannot be reached, however fmwl barty may then petition the registrar o refer the dispu to refo pute to the council of arbi- There are two councils of arbitration, the three members of each holding office for two years. One council is for the settlement of disputes between railroad companies and wage-earners In their employ, and the other for the settlement of disputes mot in con. nection with railways. One member of each council is appointed by the leutenant gov- ernor on the recommendation of the m- ployers of the province, and one on the rec. ommendation of the employes, the third, who acts as president of the council, being hom.. nated by the two already appointed. For the person to be recommended by the em. ployers, every employer and organization Iy the province employing at least ten per- sons, s entitled to one vote, and evary legally constituted Board of Trade fs like. wise entitled to one vote. For the person to be recommended by the employes as a mem. ber of the council of arbitration in mat. ters not belonging to rallways, every trade and labor council, every district assembly of the Knights of Labor, every federated coun- cil of building trades, every lawfully incor- porated trade union, and every organization of wage-earners of ‘an_industrial calling is entitled to one vote. For choosing the per- son to be recommended by employes of rail. Way companies every organization of rafl. way employes is similarly entitled to one vote. The counell of arbitration sits and con- ducts its proceedings as in open court, and in making its decisions is governed by “the principles of equity and good consclence.” It has the power to summon witnesses and ad- minister oaths, and for the purpose of pre- serving order the president has all the power of a judge of the high court of justice, except that he cannot commit for contempt. Witnesses are entitled to the same fees as in the division court, and all the expenses of councils of arbitration as well as of councils of coneiliation are paid by the province. The report or award of a council must be made within one month and be signed by a ma- Jority of its members. In case the parties, before the case is heard, dgree in writing to be bound by the award, it may be made a rule of the high court of justice and en- forced by legal proceedings. There are a number of interesting pro- visions Intended to simplify the proceedings under the act and insure justice. While either party may be represented before the council by from one to three persons, such persons must be parties to the dispute, no counsel or attorney or pald agent being al- lowed to appear. It Is also provided that no proceeding shall be deemed fnvalid by reason of any defect of form or any technical irregu- larity. Should either the employers or the employes become dissatisfied with their rep- resentative upon the council of arbitration the lieutenant governor, upon their recom- mendation, may cancel his appointment and appoint another in his place. In case one party to a dispute has applied to the regis- trar to have the matter referred to a council of conciliation and has appointed conciliator. aud the other party refuses to submit the case, the council of arbitration may proceed 1o Investigate the causes of the dispute and report what parties are in the opinion of the council mainly responsible for the same and how it should be settled, From this brief resume of the act it will be seen that while no provision is made for compulsory arbitration, every facility is af- forded to employers and employes for the settlement of thelr disputes amicably and without expense. Although the findings of the councll of arbitration are not legally binding, except when the parties have signed ‘an agreement previously to that ef- fect, they will certainly have great weight with the parties themselves and will have a controlling influence upon public opinion. As a strike or lockout Inaugurated In the face of public opinion is doomed to almost certain follure, it is reasonable to suppose that such extreme measures will seldom be resorted to In Ontario hereafter and that the govern- ment of that province in passing this act h taken a decided step in advance in the mai ter of labor legislation. Americans, at any rate, will be Interested in watching the re- sult A. HUGH HIPPLE. TOMORROW IS LABOR DAY, AND IT's OR NIGHT AT POMPEII! AT GOURTLAND BEACH. The Grandest and Most Sublime Fireworks Dis RESERVED SEATS ON SALE AT Kahn's, 16t aud Donglas. Kinsler's, 16th a~d Farnam Fuller's, 14th and Douglas Kiplinger's, 13t} ¢ nd Far- nam. Upto s ot the night of the performance, Ever given in the west, including PAIN’S (Fifty Feet in Diameter.) IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LAKE, Throwing a Shower of Fire 100 Feet High. BRI | A Trungh OF TERRIFIC of L% e Pyrofechnie PALACES. At LIVING FLAMES : SPRING UP : ALL OVER THE CITY. YOU MUST SEE IT. itly blazing, glaring electric noon-day to see the has ever produced. lights \\'i!lnmknlhn! Sheru grounds as light as most wonderful per- Portrayed in EugeneV.Debs a fireworks frame 20x40 feet. Take the Sherman av transfer slip is necessary after 3:00 street after 3:00 p. m. ue cars and change cars at Locust street; no p. m. y ten cents, conductor gives you a return ticket, On returning from Courtland Beach conductor takes up this return tick et and hands you a transfer slip which will take you to either end of the avenue Tine you may desire to go. On entering cars at Locust Glitiering Scenes of Amazing Beauty, formance the world Absolutely the Most Colossal, Costly and Majestic Outdoor Exhibition. U. P fr;ain to Pompe returning leaves Scale of Prices. Admission, with good seat.......oeeviarecans Admission, with reserved seat. Family Boxes, seating five persons. Single Seat in Boxes. .. Children under 12 year: Children oceupy ng Reserved Seats or Box Seats full . 250 price Roman Sports and Games 18 Centuries Ago, 350 Performers on the Stage. Boyd’s Band. Theatre pla FIRKE FOUNTAIN ii léa;es Council Bluffs at 9th and Broadway at 7:00 p, m; ourtland Beach at 10:45 p. m Fare fpr: rgund trip 25c. Charming Music by Tickets to POMPEIL Also adwit to Court'and Beach after 3:00 p. m.~ while Courthsad Beach tiokots are not good for | Pompeii at any time, SSERNER I - OF MASSIVE scenery. |INSTRUCTIVE A BEAUTIFUL LESSON ": LN":T EVER PLACED GLITTERING | BEFORE TABLEAUX, AWE-INSPIRING ERUPTION OF VESUVIUS. THE HUMAN MIND. INMENSE GRAND STAND SEATING 10,000 PEOPLE, Ladies and child- ren unescorted can this visit refined performance with perfect proprivty. Immense Lake 300 Feet Long 100 Feet Wide with Pompeiian Flotillas. ARISTOCRACY . OF SNAKEDOM Eoa Cons:rictors ani Rattlers Lord'y Rep- tiles Under ALl Conditions, STRIKING FEATURES OF SERPENT LIFE Suake Enchantment Unknown to Natural- ists Who Have Studied the Ophidian's Habits—Their Movements Essen- tlally Catlike. (Copyright, 1894, by 8. 5. McClure, Limited.) When I lived in the island of Trin- idad in 1890 I had two baby boa con- strictors just born. They were about as thick as a man's thumb and fitteen inches long. For their first meal I geve to one a mouse and to the other a humming bird, which they Kkilled and swallowed with all the formalities of their elders. Afterwards arose a difficulty which ended in the death of one, for while he who had had the mouse, being more easily supplied, waxed fat and big, and in tissue was able to fake rodents of a larger size, the one that got the humming bird starved himself to death because I could not supply him with similar aclicacies. Can it be that their first meal determines their preferences In after life? It may be laid down as a rule that colubrine snakes, venomous and nonven- omous, follow up their prey and catch it by persistent chase, just as we have seen the racer get his mouse. There is, how- ever, this to be remarked, that none of them, as far as I have seen, keep it secure by pressing it with their body against neighboring objects, except the racer and some of his near relatives in South America. Whenever the animal they catch is small all the harmless colubrines (except three south Afric:n species, Leptodeira Rufescens, Psammophis Crucifer and Psammophylax Rhombeatus), which kill by constriction, just like boas, swallow it alive; but If it is large, the pressure of their jaws kills it in the swallowing. A LIVELY MEAL. In May, 1891, I kept In my collection at Port of Spain, in the fsland of Trinidad, a large Macheta (Herpetodryas Carinatus), a species very like and nearly related to the racer, whose specialty is lizards, frogs and birds, eschewing mice and toads. For two weeks this Macheta had fasted because I had found it difficult to obtain a supply of frogs sufficient for my numerous family. I needn’t menticn that he was eager to get some, when one evening a boy came in with a goodly number., I tumbled at once fifteen into his cage, [nstantly there was a wild jumping of frigs to escape, and a violent lashing about* of 'the snake to catch them, making of thescage a perfect nest of confusion. The frogs were only of a medium size and the spake very large, so that as soon as he caught one it went down without trouble. Im less than three min- utes he had stowed;the. whole fifteen in- side. From the quick spasmcdic bulgings of his sides at various pdints 1 could clearly tell that they were kiekiog to escape from bis stomach; indeed, 5o evidently were they allve within him that eyep their final croak- Ing was still audible for some mements afterwards. ~ Want of 'air, however, soon put an end to thelr movements, and left the well gorged Machefa at peace to digest them. The colubrine snaKes, 'as has been sald, both harmless and desdby, pursue and run down thelr prey just as we have seen the racer do whenever they know them to be | species they can easfly overtake, but when they know they cannot do this, as for in stance when they have birds to deal with, their method undoubtedly partakes, in some degree, of the stealthy manner of the boas and vipers. CATLIKE METHODS. To describe the boa's hunting, the word stealthy Is very appropriate, for while the ways of the colubrines in pursuit of their prey are decidedly dog-like the ways of the boas and vipers are essentially catlike. The boa constrictor and the rattlesnake, which we have taken as representatives of these two latter classes, are undoubtedly the aris- tocrats of snakedom. These lordly reptiles are never to be seen, Iike the vulgar crowd of frog-chasing colu- bers, scurrying for dear life through rocks and bushes In pursuit of a dinner; much less will they hasten from the path of an enemy, nor even move an inch it he appro-c\m; menacingly or with undue rapidity, but pre- | pare for the combat and be ready if necessary passage. Now let us see how very different from the way of the racer is my boa's method of se- curing that rat he already sees and longs for, which has been all this time making furious efforts to gnaw its way through the wires of the trap in which he is confined, It is not more than eight feet distant from the corner where the boa lies coiled on the rug. is snakeship sees it, and yet he has never made a move to come towards it. However, "tis time he should get it; so I open the cage trap and let it run loose in the room. Like a flash it runs beneath the furniture, hides among my books, climbs up the curtains, tries to escape by the windows, In fact it goes everywhere except to that corner where the boa lies. And yet what can that Irish rat brought over on the steamer’s maiden voyage from Belfast know of the dangers of that boa's coils? There are no snakes in Ireland, as every one knows. It can mever have possibly seen a snake, and yet its terror of the boa is s0 great that in the reptile's presence it for- gots its fear of man to such an extent that I find it difcult, even with a stick, to drive it to the corner where the constricting exe- cutioner awaits it After much chasing around the room, how- ever, the rat becomes tired and often pauses on the carpet, but only to make another rush for freedom as soon as I move. It now fre- quently dashes around close by the boa, nay, even sometimes springs upon his back, and is off again like a rubber ball before its feet have scarcely time to touch him. Nevertheless, with all this excitement to move, the waiting snake composedly main- tains the selfsame coil as before; for the mo- tions of the lively rat are much too quick | for him to strike at. FATAL CURIOSITY. How does the boa know that if he remains quiet the curiosity of his prey will finally compel it to approach him quietly in a catch- able manner? Who can tell? These prob- lems of the psychology of animals are very difficult to sclve. Once more I busily chase the rat until at last it stops for a moment to breathe on the open carpet, within & yard of th: boa's nose. I now cease my pursult, wheréupon it sits up on its haunches, and busily rubs over its snout with its paws—‘washes its face” as the boys cail the performance, Then it reaches forward and sniffs toward the motionless snake, whos» only sign of life is the tongue that now comes inquiringly out back, fine and double-pointed; yet not | fitfully, and quick to be drawn in again, as is usually the case, but with a continuous | lolling out, as if the little manber had grown tired of inaction and n:eded a pro- longed stretching. Meantime, while the reptile’s broad, flat head, set with grayish, catlike eyes, rever moves at all, the neck immediately bebind it is slowly resolving itsell into that living spring, from whose lightning dash there is no escaping, nor does he shift his general position in the slightest, so that from the rat’s point of view there Is nothing alarming to b: seen. His muzzle Is facing teward the timorous, and yet curious rat, which is still sitting upon its hinder quarters watch- ing that queer bifid tongue, which, cxcepting the catlike eyes, is the only sign of life it notices in the entire coil. . A LIGHTNING EXECUTION. There!!!—a dash upon the rat, and a fold- ing, 5o instantaneously done, that the doomed like insulted knights to dispute the animal hasn't had time to utter a single squeak. A gunshot could not be quicker. The eye I3 too slow to follow the stnulta- neous open-mouthed spring-releasing and en- folding again, which leaves the rat now quivering in the throes of death, with two coils of the snake's neck around its body. The reptile's jaws are held closed like a vice upon it, nor will he let go either with coils or teeth until every pulsation of its life has ceased. Even then he will cautiously unloose only his jaws at first, and, still holding it tightly enwrapped, will feel over with his tongue again and again all the ex- posed parts before it will venture to entirely unloose It. This, however, he finally does, but even after completely releasing it, he will continue long to try it with that in- quisitive tongue to make sure that it is cer- tainly dead, for no boa ever swallows living prey. Does he cover it with lowing? Certainly not: kind ever proceeds in such gn unnatural manner. He simply takes it in, whole and unbroken—drinks it as it were, in the solid, just as ve saw the lively racer do with the mouse. Now it may be said to all this that both he rat and the boa, being in confinement, and interfered with by man, have not acted in thelr natural manner. The objection 1s ouly of apparent value. That my interference has brought in a | contusion 1s necessarily true; but let us by & saliva before swal- No snake of any close study unravel the operations of nature in what we saw just now. In the first place, the rat was in his cage, could see the boa moving on his rug. This made it fear the boa. My chasing it after letting it out of the trap made it fear me, and practically forget its fear of the boa. Wkhen I chased it to fatigue it jumped many | fimes on the boa without the reptile's mak- | gijj| his direction is right, and that yonder ing any effort to show that he lived or would Injure. This action of his caused the rat to regard me more than the boa. But when 1 ceased chasing it and it found itsell sitting clcse to the boa on the open floor its former apprehension became again somewhat aroused. But yet it had now only a remnant of its former fear left; because it saw that the snake, being yet and all the time motionless, had not injured it when it jumped on Nim before. Therefore, its fear being slight, it did not retire at once and that very fear becoming by degrees partially allayed allowed curiosity to grow, until finally ‘we find that the little quad- ruped's growing curiosity, flavored with a taste of fear, which mixture Is so apt to lure men also into danger, secured for the boa the dinner which he coveted. HUNTING IN THE FOREST. Tho same thing happens every day in the forest. The boa at twilight lles coiled by the woodside, perfectly motionless, walt- ing for his dinner to come smelling around him. The wood rat or squirrel comes scout- ing along, looking for its nuts or for its mate, and finds itself suddenly close to the apparently lifeless snake, who, If his head 18 in position, snatches up the luckloss rodent the moment it pauses to sniff before Jumping away. Should the snake be not in a proper position of course the game springs off for a yard or so and sits up there on its hind legs to see if its fears were just fled. Meanwhile the snake Is getting ready, but with such gentle and imperceptible Slow- ness that the wondering rat sees no great cause for alarm and soon approaches again, urged on by that fatal curiosity made still more active by lessening fear, until it enters, cautiously snifing with outstretched neck, within the magic circle of the boa's striking distance, when its doom Is certainly and in- stantly seale This mingled union of curiosity and fear, the former ever growing more as the latter decreases, is the real explanation of the so- oalled serpent’s fascination of his prey by the power of his unblinking eyes. “Tis astonishing how much verdant but unwholesome scientific scum a dreamy theorist can gather from the surface waters of zoology when he lazily sits him down to consider the ways of animals from the “human point of view.” That “human point of view” is the very matrix of absurdity, from which arises so much that is outre in what has Dbeen written on ‘‘mi o ‘fascination” and in general on ‘‘animal intelligence.” He who would perfectly learn to speak and write Italian, French or Spanish and to judge truly the characters of their countries must make of himself an Italian, Frenchman or Spaniard in thought, in tongue and in manners before he can properly speak the language or faithfully translate it, or justly write of things French, Itallan or Spanish for English- speaking people. Much more must he trans- form himself to do justice to Zulu or Chinese, And if this be 50 for a thorough knowledge of mere human foreignness, how much more strongly fs it true of matters pertaining to animal psychology. To inwardly compre- hend the ways of snakes one must become in some sense himself a, snake. Understand- Ing the words In their ordinary meanings, “mimicry” and “fascination” would probably never be strictly true in speaking of the ways of any animal, but certainly, as regards snakes, these words have no place whatever, and should not be used at all, for they are unfit, misleading and mischiévous—in fact, to speak it plainly, they are philological lies, Sclence demands something better and ought to have it—stir yourselves, ye sclentists! Let your vocabulary bearing souls overflow—be- come serpents in so far as you can, and give us new words that will be true translations of matters ophiological. As the boas secure their prey by walting for it, and springing to seize it, when it comes within striking distance, so also does the velvet scaled rattlesnake and all his rela- tives of the viperine family, A WAITING GAME. “Does not the shungry boa or rattlesnake then,” it may be asked, “go in quest of their prey, of do they walt encolled perhaps for days in the selfsame place, walting until fortune may choose to send a meal in their way?" Not at all, quite the contrary, for they are seldom a whole day in the same vicinity. They change their lurking places the haunts of their wildwood game may vary. Should the food-seeking rattlesnake, coiled on the hillside at evening, waiting in vain for the squirrel or chipmunk which falls to appear, notice In the distance & flock of finches rioting among the huckleberries, slowly and cautiously he glides down from his lichen-crusted rock and wends through the herbage his unsuspected way; nor does he hasten in his stoalthy course, but often pauses, and with #upstretched neck peers ahead through the grasstops and datsi which cover him, in order to be certain that in the bushes a fluttering vietim still awaits him, His motto is “Lente festina” “Tim enough,” says he to Limself, as a bird flies right over him toward the lofty hemlocks behind, to plume her well gorged craw on the topmost branch; but as she passed she saw him, and now sends forth those well known notes of alarm which cause her feeding com- panions to join her. Then she gets courage from company, flies back to the spot, for she marked where she saw him, and sits on a sassafras close to his lurking place. Thence she utters her warnin She sees him en- colled by a birch stump, for he stopped when the flock flitted over and cofled to await thelr returning. Quiet he lies there and gray, iike the birch stump beside him. Soon they are fluttering around him, and none of him moves buy his tongue points, all trembling like wings of insect or pine needles hanging in cobwebs so commonly seen about birch stumps. Their fear having almost departed, they alight not far from him to view him. A curious on hops on the stump top, when Instantly out strikes the rattler and snatches her plerced by his fang points, distilling thelr venom within her. Right down through her back near the shoulders they are deeply embedded in her lungs. She dies in five seconds, for when snake venom is directly injected into the lungs 'tis most certain and quickest of all to snuff life out. The lightning could not kill her quicker. I've seen the same happen quite often. In his mouth he holds fast her dead body, nor will he let go till he swallows; nor does he regard her companions, now screaras ing and fluttering in terror, in madness, In fact, close above him. Perhaps if we watch till he swallows we'll witness his catching another that happens to flutter too closely. Just here it may be asked, will the death- striking rattler or other viper dare to hold in like manner till It dies a powerful rat or squirrel, flercely armed with dangerous teeth, that could with one death bite sever his ver- tebra and Kill him while dying? Oh, no! The venom-bearing vipers know thelr business too well for that. 'Tis only the small and weakling prey they dare ta hold in its death throes. The large and dan- gerous animal Is struck as surely, but never held—not even for a single instant. The prus dent snake strikes out like lightuing, and files back to his coil just as quickly, ready at once to defend himself, or repeat the stroke It necessary. He walches it in its death strug- gles, and when all motion has ceased glides slowly around the lifeless corpse, just as the boa does, exfimines it all over with his tongue to see that it is surely dead and then coms mences to swallow As carnivorous quadrupeds of the canine kind generally hunt by day, and feline ones at dusk, at night when the moon is clear, o during the hours about the dawn, 8o too do the serpents which pursue their prey by simi= lar methods. When over the hilltops the pours Into the valleys and rou morning sun s the diurnal animals from their lairs, the dusk-loving vipers and boas retire to the twilight shade of a thicket or hollow tree, or hide themselves away in some rocky cavern in quiet the hours of heat and glare, and wait for the somber shadows of evening (a fall, when they may again lie in wait by the drinking placs or watch encolled for thelf victims as they pass on the forest path. On the other ha in ths brightness and warmth of the noonday the colubrine serpents are mostly abroad, busily seeking for thelr fishes and toads by the swamp-side, as the garter and water snakes do—basking in the sun as the spreading adder on the sand hills, or as the black racer, gliding like restles spirits through the tall weeds that fringe the brook side, seeking for the Insect-catchs ing, quick-diving frogs, or the fleld mice that como there o drink, while some you will find in the tree tops, watching from leafy ambush amidst trult or flowers for the birds they see flitting around them. We have now seen how the colubers, that iy to say, the comumon snakes, cobras and coral snakes, chaso th rey like dogs; now vie pers and boas lie in wait for and spring on it, tho latter strangling it, the former striking it to death with thelr venom. Thus far the methods of serpents in catohe ing and killing their prey G. R. O'REILLY. wherein to pass - One of the most elaborate productions this season will be that of Willlam Haworth's new drama, “On the Mississippl.” Davis and Keogh will present it for the first time September 10, In Baltimore. ““On the Mls. slssippl” 1s said to be a very breezy and stirring play, the scenes belog lald o Te nesses, New Orleans and Loulsiava