78 SNAKES. 



Mr. Bell's work has enjoyed upwards of thirty years' 

 popularity, and his milk-drinking pet has been quoted by 

 scores of writers of both adult and juvenile books. Thomas 

 Bell, F.L.S., F.G.S., was secretary to the Royal Society ; 

 Professor of Zoology of King's College, London ; and one 

 of the Council of the Zoological Society of London. He 

 was also a ' corresponding member ' of the learned societies 

 of Paris and Philadelphia, and of the Boston Society of 

 Natural History. 



As a gentleman of widely recognised learning and veracity, 

 therefore, it may be considered that Mr. Bell, and with good 

 reason, entertained no doubt whatever as to snakes drinking, 

 and also drinking milk. Mr. Bell, moreover, had known of 

 the celebrated python at Paris (see chap, xxiv.), which in 

 1 84 1 evinced a thirstiness that has become historical in all 

 zoological annals. The circumstance was fully recorded by 

 M. Valenciennes at the time ; when a no less distinguished 

 ophiologist than M. Dumeril,^ Professeur d' Erpetologie an 

 Musce a Paris, was especially appointed to the management 

 of the reptile department there. That very distinguished 

 ophidian lady, the python, need be referred to here only as 

 regards the drinking question, the rest of her history coming 

 in its place in this book. It will be remembered that she laid 

 eggs, and to the surprise of all, coiled herself upon them to 

 hatch them. * Pendant tout le temps d'incubation la femelle 

 n'a pas voulu manger' (she began to incubate on the 6th 

 May) ; * mais le 25*^ de mai, apres vingt jours de couvaison, son 

 gardien, Vallee, homme tres soigneux et tres intelligent, la 

 voyant plus inquiete que de coutume, remeuee la tete, et lui 



^ Annales des scieftces natttrelles, 2d Series, tome xvi. Paris, 1841. 



