SNAKES. 289 
sometimes occur which are brownish-olive instead of green, but 
they retain the yellow abdominal bands ; they are of small size, 
and have been named Dryinus fuscus (Dum. and Bibr., vii., p. 
812).” 
There are, of course, many other Snakes besides those already 
mentioned which are suitable for confinement in this country ; 
but I hope sufficient has been said to enable a novice at Snake- 
keeping to care for properly almost any Snake which is hkely to 
come into his hands. 
No animals, in their manner of taking food, are more capricious 
than Snakes. Sometimes their desire to feed is so great that they 
will eat a meal out of all proportion to their size; and, some- 
times, without any apparent cause, they will refuse food, even 
the most suitable, until they die of starvation. As a rule, these 
creatures cannot be persuaded to seize any prey but that which 
is natural to them. For example, a Snake which lives upon 
frogs will not on any account, as a general thing, take lizards, 
though the latter might be just as nourishing to the Ophidian 
as the former, and possibly even more so; nor will a lizard-eat- 
ing Snake be tempted to swallow a newt. 
Even if Snakes did never refuse their natural food, the sup- 
plying of it is not always convenient, nor is it, to most people, 
pleasant. Young mice and rats, frogs and lizards are not con- 
tinually at hand, and it is not, by any means, an attractive sight 
to see a Snake, at evident discomfort to itself, swallowing a live 
animal or one recently constricted or poisoned. 
One of the drawbacks therefore, perhaps the only important 
one, to the keeping in confinement of these interesting reptiles 
is the feeding of them. This drawback, however, in a great 
measure, may be overcome by supplying the Snakes with their 
food artificially. Generally this means of feeding is very success: 
ful and satisfactory. The Snakes thus get sufficient food regularly ; 
and, if properly administered, the discomfort to the reptile, I 
believe, is not nearly so great as it is when it takes its food na 
natural way. I think that most people, after they have watched 
the two operations, will be disposed to agree with me in this 
respect. 
As far as I can see, no Snake is deprived of any pleasure by 
U 
