45 
and it is then forced into the stomach by a 
strong contraction of the ribs immediately in 
front of the object swallowed. As the ribs are 
not joined to a sternum or breast-bone, but 
have a freedom of action, the body also pos- 
sesses a wonderful power of expansion, thus 
easily accommodating the large objects gorged 
by the snake. The digestive fluids of a snake’s 
stomach are indeed chemically powerful. As 
the snake gorges its food, the stomach receives 
it in an almost natural condition, sometimes 
even alive and active; frequently I have no- 
ticed a spasmodic movement, or heard a 
mournful croak from a toad or frog but lately 
swallowed. Now, with the food in this nearly 
normal condition, digestion begins and flesh, 
bones, skin, fins and feathers, whatever the 
character of the food may be, must be assim- 
ilated. That the digestion of these seemingly 
indigestible substances is almost perfect, is 
proved beyond doubt, in the fact that seldom 
do the snake’s excrements show any trace or 
vestige of what has been swallowed. 
“Do snakes ever over-estimate their powers 
and seize prey too large for them to master? ” 
“ Frequently, my Fritz; snakes seem to ex- 
ercise no judgment in seizing their prey. Often 
have I noticed my pets seize and tenaciously 
hold prey so large as to be far beyond the 
snake’s ability to gorge it and after being pulled 
about by the struggling captive, the snake has 
been compelled to reluctantly free the intended 
