190 OPHIDIA. BOAD^. 



It is a curious fact but recently discovered, 

 that some, at least, of the Pythons incubate their 

 eggs like birds. This fact was lately witnessed 

 in the case of a female of the Pytlwn hivittatus of 

 Kuhl, in the menagerie of the Museum at Paris. 

 Incubation was prolonged without interruption 

 during nearly two months. The number of eggs 

 laid was fifteen, all separate. After being de- 

 posited the snake collected them together, and 

 coiled round them the posterior part of its body ; 

 a second coil was then formed upon the first, and 

 a third upon the second, and so on, until the 

 whole of its body was rolled into a spiral form, the 

 several coils together forming a cone, at the top 

 of which was its head, the eggs being all con- 

 cealed within. Its temperature was sensibly 

 augmented above that of the surrounding atmo- 

 sphere while incubation was going on ; it ate 

 nothing during the whole period ; but drank 

 greedily several times. At length, at the end of 

 fifty-six days, without the female having once 

 quitted the eggs, one of the little Pythons was 

 hatched ; and in the course of a few days there 

 were seven others ; but no sooner were they 

 evolved than the mother left them to themselves, 

 shewing no further affection for the offspring 

 which she had so sedulously incubated.* 



* " Ann. des Sci. Nat." (2nd ser.), xvi. Qb. 



