A PYTHON'S ECCENTRICITIES 207 



docile. After the act of the " snake enchantress " 

 the writer made his way to her throne and inquired 

 about the beautiful python which had so attracted 

 him. He was informed that the snake was called 

 " Selima," and had been in the show business for 

 some years. Selima was very fond of her mistress, 

 was the information imparted, and would not eat 

 unless fed by hand. The conversation concluded 

 by the purchase of Selima, and the reptile was taken 

 to the reptile house of the New York Zoological 

 Park. 



The python seemed actually to miss its old life 

 and grow lonesome. When the keepers in their trips 

 down the line of cages came to her compartment and 

 rolled back the iron door, she would crawl over 

 their shoulders, and seemed to appreciate their atten- 

 tion. If placed back in the cage, she would imme- 

 diately crawl out again. She would never eat unless 

 the food were given her by hand. Having become 

 much interested in the snake, the writer took her 

 feeding entirely in hand. Day after day she was 

 taken from her cage for the benefit of privileged vis- 

 itors as an example of reptilian docility. 



Some months after Selima's installation, the writer 

 was seriously injured. Month after month went by, 

 but finally came recovery and a release from the sick- 

 room. After a three-months' absence he returned to 

 the reptile house, there to discover that Selima's cage 

 contained a huge rattlesnake, which glared with stony 

 and unfriendly eye at its observer. " Where is Se- 

 lima ? " was the immediate question. The keepers 



