DO SNAKES FASCINATE THEIR VICTIMS ? 73 



The next morning the Python had killed the duck, but 

 not swallowed it ; the fowl was untouched. From the fact 

 that the duck was cold and alread}^ smelling from incipient 

 putrefaction, we concluded that the murderous onslaught 

 had taken place soon after we left. The duck had evidently 

 been seized by the neck, as the teeth marks were there, 

 and it was moist and sodden. It might have been partly 

 gorged and then rejected, as snakes not unfrequently will 

 do this. If they are disturbed or threatened with an attack, 

 they will do it to facilitate their escape. The rapid decom- 

 position of the duck was due to the warmth of the house, 

 xind also, I expect, to the salivary fluid of the snake. 



The Aboma had caused the disappearance of both rabbits. 

 On December 11th, the white hen and a duck were placed 

 in the Python's cage. The hen showed not the slightest 

 fear. In the morning neither had gone. On December 14tli, 

 at four p.m., the white hen was again placed in the cage. 

 It showed no sign of fear, but settled down on the body of 

 the snake, who seemed fairly livety. At 4.55, as it had 

 not fed, a nice young duck was put in also to tempt his 

 appetite. 



As the Aboma had not fed for a fortnight, two white 

 rats were placed in the cage. In a few minutes it slowly 

 pushed out its head and neck and a portion of its body, 

 the rest of the body and the tail remaining almost fixed and 

 motionless. Slowly it approached one of the rats. The rat 

 didn't show the slightest fear, but sniffed at the snake, 

 apparently regarding it as one of the most harmless things 

 in nature, when in a moment, like a lightning flash, the 

 Aboma seized the rat by the nose with its jaws, and in- 

 stantaneously had wrapped it round with a couple of coils. 

 The rat was grasped so suddenly and completely that it 

 had no chance of squealing. You could only see the posterior 



