SNAKES. 199 



two Snakes met, and one of them, in tlie course 

 of its progress, slightly bit the jaw of the other ; 

 this was retaliated, though evidently without any 

 hostile feeling ; but after one or two such acci- 

 dents, the most powerful of the Snakes com- 

 menced 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 mo- 

 ments' 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 

 another occasion, I heard a frog distinctly utter its 

 peculiar cry, several minutes after it had been swal- 

 lowed by the Snake. In taking lizards or birds, it 

 always, as far as my observation goes, swallows the 

 head foremost. After it has taken its food, it usu- 

 ally remains inactive for many days, not usually seek- 

 ing afresh meal until the former one is digested." * 



Notwithstanding the high authority of Schlegel, 

 who asserts that Snakes never drink, repeated ob- 

 servations have proved that they do. Dr. Cantor 

 observes that the majority of Indian Serpents are 

 partial to water, and that with the exception of 



* " British Reptiles," 49. 



