DO SNAKES DRINKS 81 



head under water, and the neck still lower, so that the 

 water falls into tJie mouth by its oiun iceight, and is then 

 swallowed. But this, he repeats, does not go into the 

 blood, or very little of it, car ils roideiit eii grand partie, 

 etc., as above, its function being principally to moisten the 

 intestines. 



Lenz, a German ophiologist of still earlier date than 

 Schlegel, went very conscientiously into the subject of 

 whether snakes drink or not,^ having adopted various means 

 in order to test them. His personal experience was, how- 

 ever, of a more limited range. 



It is worth while to bear in mind the dates of some of 

 these writings, both that we may watch the gradual advance 

 of ophidian knowledge, and also that we may the better 

 appreciate the vast amount of time, care, labour, and research 

 by which we are finally put in possession of facts of natural 

 history. 



As a comparatively modern writer, Lcnz, without doubt, 

 made very valuable contributions to the science of ophio- 

 logy, and at a time when fact was only beginning to be 

 sifted from fable. It will be seen that, thouc^h writincr 

 several years before Schlegel, he had arrived at the same 

 conclusions. 



' The numerous snakes and other animals which inhabit 

 arid mountains, or plains destitute of water, can only quench 

 their thirst with rain or dew. Snakes require but little 

 water as long as they live in the open air. It is an esta- 

 blished rule that no water is found in the maw, stomach, 

 or entrails of snakes killed in the open air, even when 



^ Schlan^cn it)id Scldaii-^cji jietut^ jar II. O. Lenz. (lotha, 1S32. 



K 



