47 
the frequently formidable means of defense of 
such prey. Now the natural food of our com- 
mon snakes is generally weak and unable to 
seriously injure the snake during a life struggle, 
so it soon succumbs to the snake’s superior 
strength and it can thus be easily gorged even 
when live and active. 
“ Have you noticed whether snakes interfere 
with each other when feeding, or does the law 
of possession protect the fortunate snake against 
the attempts of relatives to contest its posses- 
sion?” 
“The law of the ‘survival of the fittest’ pre- 
vails ameng snakes as elsewhere, my Fritz. 
Frequently I have observed several snakes per- 
sistently contest the possession of a hopeless 
Gu or frog. It is a common occurrence 
among snakes in confinement, for two individ- 
uals to seize a toad or frog at opposite extremi- 
ties and fiercely and determinedly struggle for 
the possession of the luckless victim. Such 
struggles at times continue till one snake not 
alone swallows the contested meal, but as well, 
a large portion of its determined contestant. 
Here you see in this jar a garter snake and a 
water adder, each about two feet in length. 
Now neither of these species feed on snakes, 
yet you will perceive that about six inches of 
the forward part of the garter snake is down 
the water snake’s gullet. How much more of 
the garter snake’s body would have disappeared 
if I had not interrupted the interesting event 
