TILE COMMON INDIAN SNAKES. 457 



Disposition. — Our Indian python is one of the most lethargic 

 of snakes, and as such an uninteresting creature in the vivarium. 

 In captivity it passes the day in lazy apathy, sometimes lying 

 upon, or partially encircling the branch usually put into its cage, 

 sometimes convoluted into a heap on the floor, or as frequently 

 reclining partially or wholly immersed in its bath of water. In any 

 of these attitudes it is familiar enough to every one who has visited 

 the reptile house in our various zoological gardens. It is wont to 

 lie for hours together without a movement in spite of the stream 

 of spectators peering into its cage, and their repeated attempts 

 usually in vain to rouse it to activity by drumming upon the glass, 

 flourishing handkerchiefs, and other objects before it. This apathy 

 many might suppose the outcome of a familiarity which breeds 

 contempt even in animals that are naturally of a fierce disposition, 

 but even in its natural haunts it seems to behave in very much 

 the same way, exhibiting little if any timidity, rarely rousing 

 itself seriously to escape, and even when attacked making no 

 attempt to avenge offence or injury. It thus becomes an easy 

 victim to those who seek to kill it, or an easy capture to those of 

 a more courageous and venturesome spirit. Even the female that 

 shows such unremitting devotion to her parental duty of incuba- 

 tion will suffer herself to be captured with her brood of eggs with 

 little or no remonstrance. In Travancore in 1903 a 15 foot dam, 

 with eggs as it proved on the verge of hatching, allowed herself 

 to be boxed, and conveyed to Trivandrum without offering any 

 resistance. Similarly in Balrampur Mr. Oakes told me that two 

 large pythons, one a dam incubating eggs, Avere easily captured 

 alive and brought in from the jungle, the female continuing her 

 duties and successfully hatching out her eggs. Six to eight 

 foot pythons have several times been brought in to me found 

 basking on a log, or in a boat on the river. These seeming-H- 

 allowed themselves to be captured by a couple of coolies with 

 little or no attempt at escape, though nothing could have been 

 easier than one wriggle and a plunge into the water. Father 

 Dreckman met with one just under 20 pounds in weight when 

 walking with a friend in jungle. It was seen leisurely crossing 

 their path. His friend went for its tail, while Father Dreckman 



