* We're off to the forest * * To see Miss Jean * She lives in a house * That is freshly green * Except for the chimney * And windows and walls * And one or two place * And filled with rabbits * And fat little puppies * And well and tigers * And elephants too Well, maybe not elephants.

(bass note strums) (mellow organ music) - [Miss Jean] Hi, And I know you're going because we have a very from Brooklyn, New York, Welcome to Hodgepodge And Scott is a herpetologist, and a collector of We have one of his specimens heading (giggles) west.

And I'm sure that would like to find out about What would you like to know - [Miss Jean] We're heading Scott.

(chuckles) Well, what's the first - [Margaret] Where he's from.

- [Miss Jean] Well, Do you know what it is?

- [Margaret] Uh-hmm.

- [Miss Jean] Well, why (laughing) Can you tell us what it is, - [Scott] Well, which is the giant species, And it has a, grows very, which will reach about And it feeds on vegetation things like that.

- [Miss Jean] Look at those feet Nice.

- [Scott] And milli means but actually they have - [Miss Jean] And the main to tell them from centipedes, is they have two pairs Can you see each of those Each one on those is a segment, or each one of those slices, And he has two pairs of And (laughing) come back.

I guess he was gonna He doesn't like to hang over the - [Scott] And you know in the front of for?

- What can you- - Feeling.

- [Scott] Right, antennae, and they find out where his food - [Miss Jean] (laughing) Any - [Margaret] - [Miss Jean] He is a very very beautiful specimen.

- [Steve] We were talking for social studies.

And we had questions on Africa, "What animals live in Africa?"

And I put centipede - [Miss Jean] Very good.

Well, now you can go back and Don't let him.

(giggles) He's very smart.

We've had some animals here, who just go right off They don't know enough to come Are they dangerous?

Do they have a bite of any kind?

- [Scott] No, in fact all and which really won't hurt at 'cause they have very small - [Miss Jean] Oh, he is really Look at how he's using his to find out what's happening, and whether there's - [Scott] And they're in which is called Diplopoda.

- [Miss Jean] Oh, That's something about puda, Maybe we better put him back.

What did we have him in?

I forget, we got so many, a paper bag?

(laughs) - [Scott] Right.

- [Miss Jean] That'll do.

Well we just, okay.

We want you to be sure with everything that you How about let's taking a look and then we'll look at Millipede, we thought the was pretty big for a millipede, but he's pretty small - [Scott] This is a- - [Miss Jean] Well, I'll say, he's sticking his tongue This is a what?

- [Scott] A Tegu lizard from And they are also known because they also chase (children snickering) And they'll eat eggs and things - [Miss Jean] You notice what shape is tongue is - [Steve] She said, "Like a Y."

- [Miss Jean] Yeah, like a Y.

- [Steve] Does it have any - [Scott] Well, this one (laughing) - [Miss Jeen] Don't you have from getting him out?

- [Scott] Yeah, And he's also at the moment, - [Miss Jean] Oh, that's neat You can see that Tegus - [Margaret] Scales.

- [Miss Jean] Scales.

How'd you get started in - [Scott] Well, when I was about I began reading books.

And then I went out into And now I've gone on to other which I've been collecting and lizards and all kinds of - [Miss Jean] Do you like other - [Scott] Oh yeah, oh yeah.

- 'Cause it's nice to be - [Miss Jean] Is this his ear?

- [Scott] Yeah, that is his ear.

- [Miss Jean] Can you make so we can see his ear.

- [Scott] And that, especially for what he crawls living in the He'll occasionally swim and that'll protect his ear from - [Miss Jean] Oh, and and sharp claws for running.

Does he stay mainly on the land?

- [Scott] Yes, he does.

And he also has long claws - [ Miss Jean] And he's a meat - [Scott] Yeah, carnivore.

- [Miss Jean] What does - [Scott] Well, he usually eats (laughing) And he comes up to the (laughing) - [Miss Jean] Can we, let's see can we get We don't want him to bite Steve, - [Margaret] Don't bite me - [Miss Jean] How long - [Steve] Like two or three - [Miss Miss Jean] Almost I would think.

- That's about it.

- He curls that and look at his My goodness.

[Scott] Well, they occasionally - [Miss Jean] They stand up on - [Scott] Occasionally.

- [Miss Jean] Oh my goodness, - [Scott] And also, very used in dinosaur pictures.

- [Miss Jean] Oh, we've - [Scott] And they blow them up.

- [Miss Jean] How to Out of something that Well, he's a beautiful specimen.

- [Margaret] Really long, too.

- [Miss Jean] Almost as long as the discovery Even though it's a little warm he's still sort of cool.

- [Scott] - [Miss Jean] Look at, than the rest of him.

Oh, Steve wants to, Can you, do you want to You don't want to touch a Tegu?

- [Margaret] No.

- [Miss Jean] Well, to talk about at supper tonight, - And they also- - [Steve] Tegu for dinner.

- [Scott] And they also, they have a Latin name, which means Tegu of the marsh - [Miss Jean] Steve thinks Do you think the people - [Scott] They are, they are.

The Indians cook them.

(Miss Jean laughs) - [Margaret] I wanna eat one.

- [Steve] Another name for a dog - [Miss Jean] My goodness, why, we got all kinds of good Well, would you like to go so we can look at some other interesting specimens?

How to pack a Tegu.

- [Scott] A Tegu, right.

(zipper zipping) - [Miss Jean] Okay, let's see.

This is one you collected - Right.

Isn't it, let's see if Look at her.

- [Margaret] Is that a girl?

- [Scott] That is a female.

- [Miss Jean] That is a female.

And what else is interesting - [Margaret] Ooh, her eyes are - [Scott] Do you notice - [Margaret] It's big.

- [Steve] It's big.

- [Scott] That's right, and when it becomes very large in that it's going to have young.

And this is known as pregnancy.

And these lay eggs in an - [Miss Jean] And so you're of baby tarantulas pretty soon.

And then what are you going to - [Scott] Don't ask me.

(laughing) - [Miss Jean] Where did you get - [Scott] This one was on the - [Miss Jean] And did you have - [Scott] Right, and and put him in a bottle.

- [Miss Jean] And can you - [Margaret] Grasshoppers.

- [Miss Jean] Well, you're - [Scott] Right.

They're crickets, which is, - [Miss Jean] And she's on her hind legs.

- [Scott] Right.

- [Miss Jean] What kind - [Scott] She is the Arizona - [Miss Jean] An Arizona.

- [Scott] You can see the label.

- [Miss Jean] Desert My goodness.

(laughing) Well, Steve, would you like while we look at another - [Margaret] I like him better.

- [Miss Jean] You like this one - [Margaret] He's small.

- [Miss Jean] - [Scott] This is the - [Miss Jean] Can you see the And it's not quite so active.

It's just sort of huddled - [Scott] Well, don't say that.

- [Miss Jean] Ah.

(laughing) - [Scott] She runs all over And she, all tarantulas do not but they make ground webs, and they catch insects in that.

And there was a kind of from the west called the - [Miss Jean] Oh, I've always - [Scott] Yeah, and they come out of a little and grab an insect, - [Miss Jean] - [Scott] Right.

(laughing) - [Miss Jean] Well, Margaret and Steve will be and that you're gonna need your Put your dinosaurs down.

Keep your hands off the table.

- [Steve] It was wanting to bite - [Miss Jean] There, You recognize that?

- [Steve] Scorpion.

- [Scott] Right, and this from strictly India and They are found in the Southern and are very, very but are rare in Asia, except for And they have extremely large - [Miss Jean] Almost like crab - [Scott] Right, and - [Miss Jean] Is that what they - [Scott] Right, and and they also have a very which is for subduing their - [Miss Jean] Have you - [Scott] I have gotten stung about 18 times.

And I'm still alive.

- [Miss Jean] - [Scott] I'm still kickin'.

But there are a couple This one can't, but - [Miss Jean] Now, how many legs I don't think I've ever had- - [Margaret] One, two three, - [Miss Jean] - [Scott] They have eight, - [Miss Jean] Eight legs and - [Scott] And two front claws.

- [Scott] This, the stinger, this is not a tail by the way.

This is an abdomen.

It's his stomach.

- [Miss Jean] Are they in - [Scott] Well, they're in - [Miss Jean] Oh right, - [Scott] And that belongs - [Miss Jean] Well, I'm amazed that it doesn't just try - [Scott] Well, many times they - [Miss Jean] (laughing) - [Scott] Yeah, this - [Miss Jean] You put on a very So let's put it, can you, - [Scott] This one is a male.

- [Miss Jean] Put him back then.

And so you do have another one.

- [Scott] Yeah.

- [Miss Jean] Another, oh yes.

- [Scott] And this is a smaller This one is a pregnant female.

- [Miss Jean] And even though - [Scott] It's more deadly.

- [Miss Jean] More dangerous.

And I think we'll just but you can see the - [Scott] And this is one from which is known as a Pandinus, and she is a very, very and can kill, very capable.

- [Miss Jean] Isn't about so many different animals from so many different parts of Let's take a look at this case.

Well, let's take a look at your your box of wet animals We can't leave them, because we don't want them to - [Scott] This is a species of - [Miss Jean] You're sure it's - [Scott] She has, they have very, and two in the front - [Miss Jean] Not well, - [Scott] Well, there are which is the two-toed, and the This is the three-toed.

- [Miss Jean] And this one you is really much more.

At ease home in the water.

It's not very comfortable so we won't leave it out very but just long enough to get a Very tiny legs.

- [Scott] Right.

- [Miss Jean] Would you if you saw it for the - [Margaret] Yes.

- [Miss Jean] I was, - [Margaret] 'Cause it has legs.

- [Miss Jean] Yes, 'cause it - [Margaret] See, when you first took it out.

- [Miss Jean] What's its name?

- [Scott] An Amphiuma.

- [Miss Jean] An Amphiuma, - [Scott] Florida ditches.

- [Miss Jean] - [Scott] Right.

- [Miss Jean] My goodness.

- [Scott] And you find them - [Miss Jean] Can they see?

They don't, the eyes don't look - [Margaret] They're small.

- [Scott] That's Right.

- [Miss Jean] Oh, it's strong.

- [Scott] And it's strong.

- [Miss Jean] - [Scott] This eats fish, - [Margaret] Bring, - [Miss Jean] - [Scott] No, they will - [Miss Jean] No, it doesn't like to be held.

- [Scott] No.

- [Miss Jean] We'll just have to in passing.

My, it is really strong.

- [Steve] - So he's, very tiny legs.

- [Margaret] It looks like he's - [Miss Jean] This is one of - [Scott] That's right.

- [Margaret] She looks like a couple of times here.

- [Scott] She has.

- [Steve] Little red spots.

- [Miss Jean] There, the than the front legs, and but still very, very tiny - [Margaret] Look it.

(giggles) - [Miss Jean] Okay, before she dries out.

Wouldn't want anything to Which is your favorite specimen Or do you have a favorite?

- [Scott] Well, - [Miss Jean] Right here, - [Margaret] What is it?

- [Scott] This is known as an which is a very, very Even though it is common in some - [Miss Jean] Such as.

- [Scott] Well, you could but all over Asia, you'll be if you find maybe five specimens - [Miss Jean] Does it remind you (laughs) Try to watch for its tongue because it has a very unusual Almost came out again.

It's so floppy and saggy, baggy.

- [Scott] That's right.

- [Miss Jean] Feel like an old - [Scott] It has a very, very - [Miss Jean] And the Or what kind of scales are they?

- [Scott] These are mottled.

- [Miss Jean] Mottled.

- [Scott] Mottled scales, And this helps it glide 'cause they live strictly in the - [Miss Jean] And eat.

- [Scott] They eat only fish, They will not eat anything else.

- Don't you wanna touch an (laughing) This isn't one of your - [Margaret] No.

- [Miss Jean] Is this about as as an Elephant Trunk snake gets?

- [Scott] No, they will - [Miss Jean] Let's see.

Oh, look, there came its tongue.

Stick your tongue out.

- That was sorta like a V. - [Miss Jean] Yeah, it's like a, but it's a much deeper V Like a, it's very, very, looks - [Scott] That's right.

- [Margaret] So she's not gonna - [Miss Jean] And what do they, what do snakes use their tongues - [Scott] Well, they use it to They use it for sense, and they bring it to something called Jacobson's organ.

- [Margaret] Looks like a cat - [Scott] And the reason why do you know why snakes - [Margaret] Bite.

(chuckles) - [Scott] They have to do that.

Well, they have something in the corner of their mouth.

It stretches their mouth open, and that's why they can - [Miss Jean] I noticed Most snakes, they look much different - [Scott] That's right.

- [Miss Jean] But not the Elephant Trunk It looks the same all over.

The same kind of funny, funny- - [Scott] And they don't have very well-developed bottom - [Margaret] Right up in front, - [Steve] He looks like, on his - [Miss Jean] No, it's cotton or something Scott had to pack these So they wouldn't dry out.

There he goes, there's his Let's see, have you got Oh, an eel.

- [Scott] Right.

- [Miss Jean] - [Margaret] That's not the kind - [Miss Jean] Yeah, That's one unusual thing - [Scott] Well, and it is- - [Steve] Looks like it's - [Margaret] A baby alligator.

- [Scott] This is a Caiman, which is known as a baby Now you can see two good - [Margaret] A friend of - [Steve] A friend of ours, - [Miss Jean] Here, if assure me that he's not gonna and then we have one reptile, - [Scott] Well yeah, - [Miss Jean] and it's not a reptile.

- [Margaret] Miss Jean.

- [Miss Jean] What?

- [Margaret] A friend of and she has a baby alligator, and she brings in pictures - [Miss Jean] She brings how he's growing.

Well, this is a Spectacled - [Scott] Right.

- [Miss Jean] And I've met other that have been very fierce.

But this one of Scott's is very I don't know what Scott But he's ah- - [Margaret] - [Miss Jean] a piece of another reptile?

(laughs) Let's take a closer look at because that's such an unusual and he's uncomfortable under out in the light and the heat.

And he's strong too.

- [Scott] Very.

- [Miss Jean] Park the Caiman, and just be sure he doesn't - [Steve] He's not gonna escape.

- [Miss Jean] He's sticky.

- [Margaret] So was that other - [Miss Jean] Right, but he like the Amphiuma.

An Indian eel.

- [Scott] Right.

- [Miss Jean] How big does he - [Scott] He'll just get about four inches larger than this, - [Miss Jean] And what do you - [Scott] Goldfish mostly.

- [Miss Jean] More goldfish.

My, you must be one of the in your area.

Or do you raise them too?

- [Scott] No, not those.

- [Miss Jean] Scott says, to feed a lot of these animals.

Gosh, he is sticky, and he's very beautiful Orange and yellow spots.

- [Margaret] And we always and they sting.

- [Scott] Yeah, most eels, - [Miss Jean] Most eels what?

- [Scott] Most eels are and they'll strike at you This one is extremely tame.

- [Miss Jean] Well, You must have, must have a way.

Is this eel like the eels they go out to sea for a while, and then come back to their - [Scott] No, not these.

These are completely They live in running water - [Margaret] Ooh, that's nasty.

- [Miss Jean] And feel, Just like the reptiles - [Margaret] Ooh, sticky.

- [Scott] Right.

- [Miss Jean] Well, we'll pack And let's take a look at this - [Margaret] Baby alligators.

- [Miss Jean] Oh, yeah, let's- Now, Margaret.

(laughing) Let's, don't tap on the cage.

That's don't, have you To the reptile house "Don't tap on there."

- [Scott] What would we - [Miss Jean] All right, While can you tell us a few things like how about the one that's The beautiful one with the red - Oh, that's so pretty.

Right there.

- [Scott] That is a Tokay Gecko.

And they're very, very vicious And they feed strictly on - [Miss Jean] In Asia.

He's beautiful.

- [Scott] Right.

- [Miss Jean] How about these Maybe we can see them better if oh, wherever we turn, (laughing) - [Scott] Well, anyway, that's a male and female - [Miss Jean] The two big ones, The male has the decorations down the back of his neck.

- [Margaret] Ah, look - [Miss Jean] And who's that, - [Scott] Oh, that's a Colone, which is a kind of a - [Miss Jean] Looks like - [Margaret] Looks like - [Miss Jean] Well, we've and it wouldn't- - [Margaret] Snakes.

- [Miss Jean] let's see, I forget, which bag is it?

- [Scott] This is it.

- [Miss Jean] These are corn - [Scott] No, this is a Cribo.

- [Miss Jean] Okay, Do you think you'd like to - [Steve] I don't know.

- [Miss Jean] How about your - [Margaret] No.

- [Miss Jean] I think Scott must have very understanding Does anything ever get loose?

- [Scott] Oh, very, I have a snake getting out.

- Two or three or four feet.

- [Scott] Coming out of the wall - [Miss Jean] Two or three yes, I think you're right.

This is a- - [Margaret] Maybe a yard.

- [Scott] Cribo.

This is a Gray-Tailed Cribo.

- [Miss Jean] From where?

- [Scott] From central America.

And it's also known as a - [Miss Jean] And he's just sort - [Scott] Right.

- [Miss Jean] And maybe I Would you trust me?

(laughing) So we can see two kinds This is from South America but the rat snakes are from I'm gonna take a trip Is this the one?

- [Scott] That's the- - [Miss Jean] That the, you said - [Scott] Yeah, - [Miss Jean] - [Scott] That's the meaner one.

- [Miss Jean] Well okay, I'll keep I can't see the other (laughing) Oh Margaret, you're a You don't scream at the sight of (laughing) - There we go.

- [Miss Jean] Yellow rat snakes Did you collect these?

- [Scott] No, - [Margret] My grandpa, he brung my grandpa Short, and me and (laughing) We were scared.

- [Miss Jean] What do yellow rat - [Scott] Strictly rodents, and other small animals - [Steve] get all the mice away.

- [Miss Jean] These are - [Scott] You can see - [Miss Jean] Oh yes, from - [Scott] Right.

- [Miss Jean] Now these are - [Scott] Right, - [Miss Jean] And do they get to - [Scott] They get just about probably they'll reach than these black rats.

- [Miss Jean] Margaret's moving I think this one, I see what you mean by Maybe I better pop them back in so we don't have too All these cold-blooded - [Steve] And they get long.

- [Margaret] There goes the (laughing) - [Margaret] Don't fall off, - Okay.

- [Margaret] That's all we (laughing) - Get back in there.

- [Miss Jean] Well, I hope Hodgepodge Lodge today and And thank you again, Thank you for coming and bringing some of your I know you still have plenty I hope you get a chance to see some of these and maybe you'll turn and a herpetologist when you Thank you very much for coming, and come back to Goodbye.

(mellow organ music) - [Child] This program was made through funds contributed by members of the Maryland (riveting trumpet music) - [Child Two] - of the Maryland Center