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not often require renewal owing to the inoffensive nature 

 of the uric acid excreta of snakes.* 



Next to the above arrangement, the best serpentarium 

 consists of wooden boxes, old wine cases, in which the wood 

 is replaced as much as possible by glass and wire gauze or 

 perforated zinc. A flat-bottomed pan of water should always 

 be kept in the box, for not only do snakes drink freely, but 

 they also like the cool shade to be enjoyed by coiling them- 

 selves close round the pan. If a small pot of water be also 

 given them, some snakes will proceed to inhabit it. It will 

 not be uncommon to see half a dozen Tropidonotus quin- 

 cunciatus coiled down comfortably in the pot of water and 

 staying there for days together ; a head coming up occa- 

 sionally to breathe, and sinking down again directly. 



A few pieces of brick must also be provided in order to 

 facilitate the periodical casting of the skin ; failing these 

 convenient points of attachment, the skin will come off in 

 fragments instead of being cast in its integrity. 



To take a snake out of the box, when he is not sufiiciently 

 domesticated to be taken up with the hand, lift his body 

 with a hooked stick, and, as his tail glides over take hold 

 of it and deposit him on the floor or in a spare box. If you 

 wish to tame the snake, he must be taken out daily and 

 gradually accustomed to being handled ; if you could 

 persuade him to drink milk, the offer of it would become a 

 great inducement to good behaviour. A cobra must always 

 be taken out daily and gradually tired out of his wildness, 

 but in the intervals of his performances he should be left 

 alone and not worried. There is very little danger about 

 handling this snake, nerve is all that is required. I have 



* Snake's dung was, some years ago, of value ; about three shillings 

 per lb. was the price, if I remember right ; it was used as a source of 

 uric acid for the manufacture of mitrexide, a brilliant purple dye. 

 This was shortly before the discovery of the aniline dyes. 



