NOTES FROM THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS. 583 



which it has been argued that they sometim'es eat vegetables. 

 But it rather argues that they don't digest vegetables, which 

 have probably been swallowed in the stomach of a rabbit or 

 some other herbivorous animal that they have caught. 



An indifference to food was noticeable in the snakes in 

 ungenial weather. One cold, raw, foggy day in October 

 1873, a python caught a duck and partially coiled it, but so 

 feebly that the bird, after passively submitting for a time, at 

 last disengaged her feet and walked away to shake herself, 

 and then turn and stare as if to discover what possibly had 

 kept her there. 



A similar disinclination to exert themselves was seen that 

 same chilly day in the largest cage, where were three large 

 pythons. One of them having killed a duck, could not get 

 a satisfactory hold of its head, and let go repeatedly. 

 Another held a duck, but not to crush it or hurt it ; for it, 

 like the one above named, only gazed deliberately around, 

 and as if asking the meaning of its detention. A third duck 

 was put into the den for the third python, who, however, only 

 lazily stared at it and made no attempt to seize it ; while the 

 bird gazed in astonishment at the one in the embrace of the 

 other snake, as if to inquire, ' What are you doing there "i ' 

 Presently this duck also got away, and was again caught 

 and only partially coiled. The python seemed too large and 

 fat to constrict so small a thing as a duck. It was like 

 tying up a pill-box with a rope. Some of the spectators 

 expressed satisfaction that the duck was not more tightly 

 coiled, and hoped it would succeed in getting away (the 

 duck was not worth two shillings, the python could not be 

 bought for twenty pounds), and were far more horrified when 



