ANACONDA AND ANGUIS FRAGILIS. 463 



vltellus.' In the present instance the umbilical slit was 

 ominously gaping", showing that the poor little creature was 

 not nearly ready to battle with life. In the other that was 

 not yet wholly detached, the slit was less, and in the two 

 which had hatched themselves (no doubt during the night) 

 it was nearly closed. 



During the day six more were born, and four of the six 

 in the membranous shell. Angitis fragilis is always con- 

 sidered to be viviparous ; but so are vipers, and here in three 

 distinct cases under public observation the young have been 

 produced in a membranous covering. 



The activity of these tiny creatures was marvellous. If 

 meddled with, they seemed as if agitated by a galvanic 

 battery. Their whole length vibrated with nervous 

 irritability. In colour they were black beneath and a 

 silvery white above, with a spot of black on the head, and a 

 fine, thread-like line of black all down their back. The 

 head was the largest part, the body tapering gradually to 

 the tail. They were In length about 2J inches. Very bright 

 black eyes had they, and manners like the adults, pressing 

 their head against the hand, or wherever they were, with the 

 instinct to burrow and hide. Their silvery aspect, together 

 with their mobile susceptibility, was truly mercurial. To 

 hold or retain them was simply impossible ; as well try to 

 restrain a stream of quicksilver. In a fury of agitation they 

 would leap and turn over and twist themselves away like eels. 

 Flaccid and tender and apparently boneless, the difficulty of 

 taking up and restraining such shreds of vitality was no less 

 difficult than interesting. The wee, half-matured fury that 

 rushed impetuously into the world .spent itself in restless 



