476 SNAKES. 



there was undeniably a perception of cause and effect. 

 On one occasion when she had got her tail on the edge 

 of the box, and her whole length in the stretched muslin 

 along the top, she so far succeeded with the forcible action 

 of the head that she worked the very strong and tight 

 elastic up, but not at all to her own satisfaction; for it 

 instantly contracted under her, bagging her most effectually. 

 She was caught in a trap of her own construction. 



Seeing her so wonderfully energetic, and by no means 

 ' slow,' either in action or intelligence, the next thing was 

 to ascertain whether Lizzie was 'deaf in addition to her 

 other pseudo-failings ; but by the various tests used to 

 exercise her aural faculties, I am inclined to think her powers 

 of hearing served her almost better than those of sight. 

 When permitted to ramble among the plants and over 

 the table, the sound much more than the sight of her box 

 and its contents attracted her. Never averse to go home 

 and retreat into her moss, the rustling of this or the scraping 

 and rubbing the sides of the box — any noise with it with 

 which she was familiar, would cause her to turn towards it, 

 when the sight of it alone failed to entice her. After a 

 time she turned her head, if even from across the room I 

 made a sudden and sharp noise to attract her attention, — 

 such as the tapping of a spoon against a cup, or the peculiar 

 talk I indulged in for educational purposes. She undoubt- 

 edly became familiar with certain sounds, which were 

 repeated till she did look round. Not — as I am bound to 

 confess — that it was a strikingly intelligent look ! rather 

 the contrary, I fear : still, as the object was to test her 

 powers of hearing, the result was satisfactory. The origin 



