RINGED SNAKE. 53 



fore-leg of the opposite side. Each continued its inroads 

 upon the poor frog's limb and body until at length the 

 upper jaws of the two Snakes met, and one of them in the 

 course of its progress slightly bit the jaw of the other ; this 

 was retaliated, though evidently without any hostile feel- 

 ing ; but after one or two such accidents, the most power- 

 ful of the Snakes commenced shaking the other, which still 

 had hold of the frog, with great violence, from side to side, 

 against the sides of the box. After a few moments' rest, 

 the other returned the attack, and at length the one which 

 had last seized the frog, having a less firm hold, was 

 shaken off, and the victor swallowed the prey in quiet. No 

 sooner was this curious contest over than I put another 

 frog into the box, which was at once seized and swallowed 

 by the unsuccessful combatant. 



The frog is generally alive not only during the process of 

 deglutition, but even after it has passed into the stomach. 

 I once saw a very small one, which had been swallowed by 

 a large Snake in my possession, leap again out of the 

 mouth of the latter, which happened to gape, as they fre- 

 quently do immediately after taking food. And, on an- 

 other occasion I heard a frog distinctly utter its peculiar 

 cry several minutes after it had been swallowed by the 

 Snake. In taking lizards or birds, it always, as far as my 

 own observation goes, swallows the head foremost. After 

 it has taken its food, it usually remains inactive for many 

 days, not ordinarily seeking a fresh meal until the former 

 one is digested. So exclusively are all Serpents animal 

 feeders, that they not only will not take, but cannot digest, 

 vegetable matters. This is shewn in a very striking man- 

 ner by a fact which I have witnessed in the case of a Boa 

 which was in the menagerie formerly kept at the Tower. 

 This creature was accustomed to have fowls given to it : 



