THE KING SNAKE. 19 



whether any one conlcl say what our snakes first feed 

 on in their infancy ; at any rate, I would not presume 

 to dogmatise about it. Probably some insects and 

 small slugs are the first diet, but as the snake grows 

 to maturity much bigger game is substituted. An 

 adult ring snake undoubtedly prefers a young frog 

 to anything else, and the process of swallowing it 

 is a task requiring some time and careful manipula- 

 tion. The frog is, as a rule, seized by one hind-leg, 

 simply because it is usually making an effort to keep 

 well ahead of the pursuing snake. It is a hopeless 

 effort, however, and the reptile, darting forward its 

 head with an extremely rapid movement, secures its 

 prey, then proceeds more leisurely to devour it. Once 

 caught, the frog makes no further struggle, exhibiting 

 that remarkable state of semi-unconsciousness often 

 seen in other animals in the presence of serpents. 

 One hind-leg swallowed, the body of the frog begins 

 to disappear, the mechanism of the ophidian jaw 

 being adapted -for the passage of very large articles 

 of diet. The picture presented at this stage of the 

 performance is sufficiently ludicrous, — " the three legs 

 and the head of the frog are seen standing forward, 

 in a very singular manner." l If in the first place the 

 frog happens to have been seized by the body, the 

 snake turns its victim until the head is towards the 

 mouth and then swallows the frog head first, the 

 unfortunate amphibian being alive all the while. 



1 Knapp. 



