MOLE SNAKES CONSTRICTING RATS. 
Fic. 45.—The snake seizes the rat by the nose, whenever possible, and throws a couple or three coils round 
its body. So powerfully does it constrict, that the rat is unable to breathe, and dies rapidly. The snake, 
after constricting its prey in the manner seen in the picture, lies perfectly quiet for a few minutes, 
and then proceeds to swallow the victimwhole. The coils are, at this time, somewhat loosened, but 
remain in a position ready for instant contraction, should the prey show any signs of life. It is stated in 
certain scientific books that snakes only throw two coils round their prey ; this is not so, at least with 
South African constricting snakes. The number of coils depends upon the size of the victim. I have 
seen as many as five coils thrown round the prey. [Photograph taken from life at the Port Elizabeth 
Museum.] 
