THE SNAKES 313 



inches shorter than the feeding reptile and of greater 

 thickness of body. After engulfing a meal of this size, 

 the gorged snake is rendered too rigid to properly coil. 

 The scales are so widely separated as to appear like well- 

 separated rows of shining spots. All the species of Elaps 

 show a liking for lizards, especially such smooth-scaled 

 species as the Scincidce. A big example of Elaps coral- 

 li7ius swallowed a stout-bodied, red-headed lizard (Eume- 

 ces quinquelineatus) , that was fully nine inches long. 

 Lizards are more susceptible to the action of the poison 

 than the smaller harmless snakes. 



It is fortunate, though, if one succeeds in inducing a 

 single specimen of Elaps fulvius out of a dozen to take 

 food. The food may be regularly placed in the cage 

 or left with the specimens, yet in the midst of plenty, 

 after fasts lasting from six to ten months, they slowly 

 but deliberately starve. While utterly disregarding the 

 presence of food, they exhibit an interesting desire for 

 water. For this they regularly search their cage and, 

 when it is found, drink long and copiously. 



It has been stubbornly alleged that the species of Elaps 

 are mild in disposition, seldom attempting to bite. Such 

 assertions are not only fallacious, but dangerously mis- 

 leading. They tend to invite accidents from reptiles 

 that are highly formidable. Observed closely and sym- 

 pathetically, the Coral Snakes will be found to exhibit 

 habits that are unique in comparison with the other poi- 

 sonous snakes. They do not "strike" at an offending 

 object, but twist and snap from side to side with the 

 rapidity of motion of a well-tempered steel spring sud- 

 denly released from tension. So energetic are these 

 actions that some species, touched lightly with a stick, 

 will instantly turn and grasp their own body. They 

 bite, as do the cobras, when once they have seized the 



