36 



powerful neck curved back, ready to make the 

 lightning stroke. 



The deer approaches and reaches the grass. 

 A flash of yellow, a choking cry, and it lies gasping 

 its life out in the deadly coils of the Python which 

 has seized it, rolled it over, and wound round it 

 like cotton round a reel. A little more gasping 

 and it is over. Slowl}^ the coils relax, and the flat 

 pink head shakes its teeth loose of the deer's 

 throat. Then slowly and deliberately the Python 

 starts to move its nose over, under and about the 

 deer, salivermg it, so as to digest it easily. This 

 occupies ten minutes or so, then the swallowing 

 commences. Grasping the deer by the head, and 

 flinging its coils over the body, so as to break the 

 bones, first one side of the jaw is projected and 

 then the other. Caught by the hooked teeth, the 

 deer slowly, very slowly, is drawn down the snake's 

 throat, being again crushed in the process by the 

 muscles of the gullet, the Python's mouth being at 

 this time extended to nearly twice its normal size. 



■ • • • • • 



Half an hour passes, and the Python, much 

 distended about the centre of its body, fades again 

 into sunshine and shadow to sleep off its meal. 



Suitable The Python may be obtained in several ways, 



cruntl-y"'' t>ut it is, of coursc, necessary to choose the right 

 type of country to hunt in. The wide stretches of 

 grass and scrub lying between a ''Tank" (artificial 

 lake) and the large surrounding jungle, are perhaps 

 the best, not because there are likely to be most 

 pythons there, but that if there are any, you are 

 more likely to see and catch them in such a 

 country. The place chosen must, of course, be 

 beyond the disturbance of civilization. 



The evening is the best time for python- 

 hunting, especially after a shower of rain, and 



