480 Remarks on the Habits of the Snake. 



rence. The snake glided into the midst of this, and availed 

 itself of the shelter it afforded, though evidently much embar- 

 rassed, and apparently sensible of its incapability, from its 

 state of repletion, to slip away, as it might probably have 

 done under ordinary circumstances. Whenever an attempt 

 was made to oppose its escape from this bush, that it might 

 reach the ferns and brushwood which abounded on all sides, 

 it would draw back its head, erect its slender neck, emit its 

 peculiar hissing sound, thrust out and rapidly vibrate its lit- 

 tle black and forked tongue, and at the same time gradually re- 

 treat to the opposite side of the bush. This was repeated 

 many times, until at length, in the act of turning to make its 

 escape from one part of the bush to another, it left a portion 

 of its body unprotected, by which it was seized, drawn from 

 its retreat, and secured. Upon examination it appeared to 

 have swallowed a frog or toad, so large that the part of the 

 body which contained it was distended to at least three times 

 its natural size, and the form of the animal's limbs could be 

 distinctly seen as it lay within the stomach of the snake, which 

 was afterwards placed in a large botanical box, and carried 

 home with great care. On reaching home we found that the 

 snake had disgorged its prey, which proved to be a very large 

 toad, quite dead, and entire, with the exception of two or 

 three lacerations on the left fore leg, where probably the snake 

 had first seized it. Upon taking the snake from the box, it 

 exhibited every sign of health and vigour, gliding from the 

 hands of those who attempted to take hold of it, and over the 

 floor of the room, making many efforts to escape. One very 

 remarkable instinctive character we observed in the snake, 

 which was exhibited on presenting to it a dead viper, [Colu- 

 ber berus, Linn.), which we had captured the same day, and 

 deprived of life, to avoid accidents. The snake was confined 

 in an upright basket, the sides of which were so high that it 

 could not escape over them ; upon presenting our hands to it, 

 the snake invariably receded, and endeavoured to escape, but 

 on presenting the viper so as to imitate, as nearly as possible, 

 the approach of a living one, the snake invariably erected its 

 head, and, darting out its neck, struck the head of the viper 

 with its own : this was several times repeated, with the same 

 result, until, not wishing to irritate or frighten the animal, we 

 discontinued thus to annoy it. It would appear that the snake, 

 naturally aware of the character of the viper, instinctively en- 

 deavoured to surprise the latter on its approach, which, in the 

 natural state of things, would have given the snake time to 

 escape, before the viper's recovery from the effects of the sud- 

 den attack. 



