THE TONGUE OF A SNAKE. 109 



demand. Even were the snake's whole body furnished 

 with salivary glands, and were it provided with a broad, 

 flat tongue to work with, what must the rate of secretion 

 be to enable the snake to go through such a task, and to 

 enable it to perform it in a period of time in which a 

 spectator (supposing he had sufficient powers of endurance) 

 could stand by and watch the process ! 



Snakes are, it is true, supplied very abundantly with a 

 mucous saliva. Describing the mode of swallowing. Dr. 

 Giinther says : * But for the quantity of saliva discharged 

 over the body of the prey, deglutition would be slow.' 

 Slow in comparison with the feeding of other animals it is, 

 under any circumstances, and it would be painfully tedious, 

 almost impossible, for the unfortunate reptile to feed at all, 

 were its difficulties not relieved by this ' abundant supply ' of 

 saliva. But this is not saying that the tongue performs any 

 office in systematic lubrication. It simply means that the 

 mouth of the hungry snake 'waters ' over its food, and waters 

 far more freely than is the usual case with other animals. 

 We ourselves know something of this stimulation of the 

 salivary glands at the sight or smell of food when we are 

 hungry ; but snakes are beneficently provided with the 

 salivary apparatus (described in the first chapter), and the 

 mouth waters over its prey, as much when the tongue is in 

 its sheath as when the tongue is engaged in its own peculiar 

 and distinct functions. What the spectator does see is this 

 tongue fulfilling its office of feeling, examining, exploring, 

 investigating, ascertaining whether the prey is thoroughly 

 dead, and the best way of setting to work on the great task 

 of swallowing the huge, rough mass. All this work the 



