38 . ■ SNAKES. 



yet the discipline has no more than a passing effect, and 

 next week the same thing happens again. 



Not many months ago a very vaUiable snake was thus 

 rescued literally from the jaws of death. A South American 

 rat snake {Geoptyas collaris) began to eat a rabbit that was 

 put in the cage for a python, which also began to eat it. 

 Collaris would not let it go, and so the python continued 

 to advance upon it until he came to his comrade, and pro- 

 ceeded with this prolonged repast. Collaris is a rather large 

 snake of some eight or ten feet long. When nearly the 

 whole of him had vanished, the keeper — who, of course, 

 had been occupied at each cage in turn — fortunately dis- 

 covered about a foot of tail fast disappearing in the mouth 

 of the python, the whole of Collaris, excepting this caudal 

 portion, having been swallowed. Just in time to rescue the 

 victim, the keeper, by his experienced manipulation, made 

 the python open his mouth, while the assistant helped to pull 

 at Collaris. At last they pulled back all the seven feet of 

 snake, which sustained no further injury than a slight scratch 

 or two against the python's teeth ; but he seemed none the 

 worse, and was no sooner free than he seized a rat, con- 

 stricted and ate it with a celerity which seemed to say he 

 would make sure of a meal this time. 



On the following Friday the very same thing was about 

 to occur again. Collaris had begun to swallow the python's 

 rabbit, the latter having prior hold ; but the keeper was on 

 the watch, and administered a little practical reproof which 

 made the rat snake loosen his hold. Matters were further 

 complicated on this occasion by the python throwing some 

 coils around his intended feast, so that to get a purchase 



