THE OEDEE OF SNAKES— 0P2f7Z>/^. 5 



friend's garden in one of the suburbs of Sydney) observed a large Python 

 or " Diamond Snake" basking in the sun. American and South African 

 travellers would probably have buckled on their armour and tried a shot at 

 it from a safe distance, but Captain S. quietly caught the reptile by the neck, 

 and carried it to the Museum. On another occasion Captain P., forraeidy 

 of the P. & O. Service, brought a fine Python, 12 feet long, from Ceylon, 

 and terrible stories were told of how the reptile had devoured the ship's 

 pet monkey, when it ventured too near its den. As it was intended for 

 presentation to the Museum, one of the officers of that institution was 

 dispatched to take charge of it. Armed with a bag, he arrived on board, 

 listened to the stories of captain and crew, and — turned the snake out on 

 deck ; of course there was a general commotion, the Lascars went aloft, 

 and nobody would assist to hold open the bag, which, by the way, proved 

 too small for the reptile ; so a larger one had to be provided, and the 

 snake was safely lodged therein without further assistance or accident. 



Giinther states that Pythons can swallow nothing larger than a 

 half grown sheep, and that one of them, which lived for 15 years in the 

 Zoological Society's Menagerie, London, attained a length of about 10 feet 

 in ten years, or 21 feet in all, it being 11 feet long when imported ; but 

 that afterwards no further growth could be observed in it. 



Snakes feed mostly on living animals ; a few only on eggs. The 

 Black Snake [Pseudechis porphyriacus) will occasionally gorge itself with 

 frogs or young water-rats, but attempt nothing larger. In a few instances 

 it has come to the author's knowledge that one snake tried to swallow 

 another of almost equal size ; both were of a small species about 18 inches 

 in length, and died in the struggle. The largest animal which a Carpet 

 or Diamond Snake will eat is perhaps a Phalanger (or " Opossum"), a 

 young Wallaby, Kangaroo Rat, or Bandicoot. It is generally believed 

 that snakes drink a great deal, and that they will soon die if deprived of 

 water ; but this is not the case with Australian Snakes, which live for 

 months without either food or water. 



The tongue of the snake is long and forked, and serves as a feeler 

 with which to examine objects. Many persons, believing that wounds are 

 inflicted by it, mistake it for a sting, and whenever they see a snake thrust 

 it out, immediately regard the reptile as a poisonous one. 



