366 MEMOIR on AMPHIBIA. 



kept alive a boiqulra for five years and a half. He has 

 made on this annual, many obfervations, which, if not con- 

 vincing, eftablifh at leaft a doubt as to all the fables vv'hich 

 have been imagined refpedting tliis reptile. 



* Cia-ious to inquire how this animal feizes his prey, 

 he has confined feveral birds in the fame cage with him, 

 and the hungry reptile has made many attempts to take 

 hold of the bird. This experiment has been repeated 

 many times, and every time with the fame efFe£l. I have 

 feen, myfelf, one of thefe birds in the cage, but whether 

 the reptile was not hungry, or was fenfible of its want of 

 power, it remained perfedly tranquil, while the bird was 

 perfedlly at eafe. It gave no indication which could make 

 it believed that it was either enchanted or affrighted ; and 

 the air did not appear different, if we might judge by its 

 behaviour, from that which it found in an ordinary clofe 

 cage. The bird remained two days in the fame fituation, 

 without the leaft attention paid to it by the reptile, who 

 in the mean time eat a dead one which was prefented to 

 him. 



Another living bird was put into the cage with the fer- 

 pent : far from being alarmed, it amufed itfelf with peck- 

 ing in the bottom and picking up a few grains which it 

 found there : often changing place in its acculiomed man- 

 ner, and even refting itfelf on the back of the boiquira, 

 which made no extraordinary movements. — This experi- 

 ment was made feveral times. 



Mr. 



with their building, have given a proof of the proteftion they afFord to 

 whatever may contribute to the progrefs of tlie fciences. May this example, 

 well calculated to fix the attention of every good government, be copied by 

 enlightened adminiftrators, who following the governments of Europe, and 

 principally that of France, may be fenfible of the value of fuch an eftablifb- 

 ment, and the necefflty of encouraging it for the good of the people. 



* The following experiments were all made in tlie fummer, tliat is during 

 die feafon in which thefe reptiles take their nourilhment. 



