SNAKES. 199 
Another Indian Python (Python molurus) (see Fig. 62), 
the West African Python (P. sehbw), and the Anaconda of South 
America (Hunectes murinus) are the largest living Reptiles, but 
not the heaviest, for some of the Crocodilia would weigh more. 
These huge non-venomous Serpents have immense muscular 
power, which they use with wonderful rapidity. They are able 
to kill, by constriction, animals far larger than they can swallow ; 
though they can eat creatures of greater diameter than that of 
their own body. When encouraged by hunger, they occasionally 
make a meal of an animal of the size of a large spaniel ; but, as a 
rule, they seem greatly to prefer such prey as small rodents and 
birds. They seize the victim with their teeth, and then quickly 
encircling it with the coils of their body crush it instantaneously 
to death. They generally commence swallowing the creature they 
have killed at the head, discharging over the victim as they do 
so a quantity of saliva, which helps to overcome the resistance 
offered by the fur or feathers. This saliva also, no doubt, is an 
aid to digestion. 
The Reticulated Python is very fond of water, and it should 
therefore be provided while in confinement with a tank suffi- 
ciently large to receive the whole of the Reptile’s body without 
causing the water to overflow. In captivity it will eat rats, 
rabbits, pigeons, ducks, and guinea-pigs. 
This Snake’s rostral shield is as broad as it is deep, and visible 
from above; and it has a pair of anterior and posterior frontals. 
Four of its upper labials are deeply pitted, and five or six of the 
lower. It has small scales, which are arranged in about 75 rows 
at the thickest part of the body. It has from 297 to 330 ventrals, 
and from about 80 to 102 sub-caudals. The anal scale is entire. . 
The ground-colour of the Reticulated Python is a light 
yellowish-brown with, according to Mr. Boulenger, “large 
circular, rhomboidal, or X-shaped markings; the young with 
three longitudinal series of light, black-edged spots; a black 
line along the middle of the head, from the end of the snout 
to the nape, and another on each side from behind the eye to the 
angle of the mouth; lower parts yellowish, with small spots on 
the sides, or nearly entirely brown.’’ This Snake is said to 
reach a length of 30ft. Its tail measures a little more than 
