29G 



sick," not dead 331 minutes afterwards. Bitten 

 again, Rat dead 30 ininutes afterwards. That is 

 63J minutes after first bite was inflicted. 

 Since then several average sized rats have been killed in about 15 

 minutes. Mice varj'^fi'om half aminute to five minutes, but on June 

 9 a mouse was 1 2 minutes dying. The snake was about to change 

 his skin, his eyes had recovei'ed from the blueness which indicates 

 the approaching of the sloughing process, but the skin had not 

 begun to peel. The skin was shed on the 11th. Up to April 2t. 

 this snake had 8 rattles ; on the night of that date he had shed 

 his skin and we then noticed he had only five rattles. The button 

 at the extremity appeared to be all right, but much larger, and 

 the rattle looked more uniform — it previously terminated with 

 such a slender point. The box had been cleaned directly it was 

 found the skin had been cast, and it was then that the alteration 

 was first noticed. A portion of the drojDpings were recovered 

 and searched, but without success. Since then he has developed 

 3 rattles and now has 8. On one occasion in seizing a mouse 

 " Rattles" hitched the teeth of his lower jaw in the scales of his own 

 neck and could not release himself. In the meantime the mouse 

 died, and, as I wished to free the snake, I placed a stick 

 on his head and held it firmly down and then placed my 

 hand on his head. This so frightened him that he raised 

 his neck and thus disengaged himself, and I removed my hand. 

 Although the treatment was rough he made no attempt at biting. 

 When it is necessary to clean the box I open it and shake him 

 out. While the box is being washed I allow him to crawl round 

 the room — his movements are exceedingly slow and cautious. 

 When the box is ready it is placed on the floor and I simply 

 sweep him back into it with a broom. Every non-venomous 

 snake I know would resist such treatment by biting vigorously, 

 but this formidable reptile never even strikes at the broom and 

 simply sounds an alarm with his nervous tail. I have never even 

 known him strike at anyone through the glass no matter hoAv much 

 he is purposely irritated. He has his bad moods, however, and they 

 are usually when he is about to slough and cannot see well, but 

 his only sign, of anger is to assume a striking attitude and to 

 vibrate his tail. Having noted in Miss Hopley's book that rattle 

 snakes will eat dead animals I tried him with a small owl on 

 June 19th but he refused it altogether, also a dead mouse. Yet 

 a fortnight ago he swallowed a rat which had been killed by the 

 Porter. As a rule he let rats go after having bitten them and 

 waits for their death. When very hungry he constantly 

 examines them with his tongue to find out whether they are still 

 alive and sometimes begins before they are dead, in which case 

 the rat usually jumps and the snake retires to his corner in great 



