34 SNAKES. 



and is often very grotesque, one side of the mouth open- 

 ing while the other is closed, conveying the idea of the 

 reptile making grimaces at you ; but the gradual disappear- 

 ance of the prey so much more bulky than the snake itself 

 is quite incomprehensible until we are acquainted with the 

 remarkable phenomena of the six rows of teeth acting 

 independently. Thus, in turning the frog round to adjust 

 it to a more convenient position, the jaws acted like hands 

 in moving, dragging, or shifting some cumbrous article, 

 say a carpet or a plank, when the left hand follows the 

 movement of the right hand until the plank or carpet is 

 worked round or forward in the required direction. 



The form and arrangement of the fine claw-shaped teeth 

 assist the process. They are too close together, and the 

 pressure is too slight to inflict a wound ; they merely retain 

 what they hold, and it is in vain for the prey to struggle 

 against them, or it might get some ugly scratches as they 

 all incline backwards. In chapter xix. illustrations of 

 teeth, life-size, show their forms and direction ; here it only 

 need be added regarding them, that the above description 

 refers chiefly to the non-venomous snakes. 



The palate being covered with that armoury of teeth, the 

 snake must have but a slight sense of taste, which is to its 

 advantage, we should say ; for having no assistant in the 

 shape of beak or limbs to divide its prey, hair, fur, feathers, 

 dust — all must be swallowed with the meal, completely dis- 

 guising whatever flesh they cover, so that we should suppose 

 the process of feeding could be productive of very little 

 enjoyment to the reptile. Perhaps out of this state of things 

 has developed their habit of eating so seldom, but when they 



