82 SNAKES. 



destroyed by or in a piece of water. Snakes are never seen 

 to go to drhik in any part of the world.' 



This last clause is, as we have now seen, a too positive 

 assertion, and one not subsequently borne out by other 

 equally conscientious and intelligent writers. Livingstone, 

 who was a close observer of nature, informs us that he has 

 known some of the African snakes come a long zvay to pools 

 and 7'ivers to drink. Dr. Theodore Cantor, who is one of 

 the best authorities on the Indian sea snakes, and who was 

 a member of the Zoological Society, tells us that he has 

 seen snakes * both drink and also moisten the tongue ; two 

 distinct operations^ he explains.^ This conviction having 

 been stated prior to Dumeril's elaborate and much-prized 

 work, is valuable testimony. The majority of snakes in 

 India are partial to water, he tells us, with the exception 

 of the arboreal species, which probably obtain sufficient 

 moisture from the rain or dew upon the leaves ; and as it 

 is not in their nature to be on the ground, their organization 

 doubtless renders them independent of water. 



We of late so often see it said of any particular snakes in 

 captivity that ' they neither ate nor drank at first ; ' or that 

 'they drank, though they would not eat,' that we almost 

 wonder their bibulous propensities were ever doubted ; 

 especially as the majority of snakes are fond of water, and 

 swim readily. We are surprised, therefore, that the second 

 edition of Mr. Lenz' really valuable work, published so 

 lately as 1870, should still retain the assertion that snakes 

 have never been seen to drink. 



'^ Sea Snakes : Pelagic Serpents, by Dr. Theo. E. Cantor. London, 1842. 

 Zoological Society's TraJisactions, 1841. 



