16. C ROT A LI DM 



{Microtus calif ornicus) . Even when handled and worried 

 the snake was unable to extricate himself from his bulging 

 mouthful. At Bluff lake a rattler taken July 21, 1905, 

 contained two chipmunks {Eutamias sfeciosus) tandemly 

 aligned in the alimentary canal, nearer the cloacal opening 

 of the snake than the mouth. The most posteriorly located 

 chipmunk was approaching complete dissolution, much of 

 the hair and bones, even having disappeared. Another rat- 

 tler, only 26 inches long, taken on the upper Santa Ana June 

 20, 1907, contained a 10^ inch alligator lizard {Gerrhon- 

 ottis scincicauda), extended straight out in the snake's ali- 

 mentary canal. As is always the case, and of obvious neces- 

 sity, the lizard had been swallowed head first." 



It seems, however, that snakes do not always swallow 

 their food head first. Dr. Barton Warren Evermann ex- 

 amined a C. oregaims, killed in Yosemite Valley, and writes: 

 "the rattler had a fine adult Merriam Chipmunk (Eulamias 

 merriamt) for its breakfast. And the rattler had swallowed 

 it tail first] The head of the chipmunk was towards the 

 snake's head, and its legs, tail and fur all lay back toward the 

 snake's tail, smooth and in perfect order. This surprised us 

 very much. We could hardly see how the chipmunk could 

 go down tail first without turning the tail, or some of the 

 legs, or the fur, the other way. We could scarcely believe 

 our own eyes; some of the party were even disposed to grant 

 there had been an error in observation. But as all members 

 of the party (there were six or seven of them) were agreed 

 as to the fact, it is evident that this chipmunk had been 

 swallowed tail first. 



"A few days later Dr. J. Grinnell sent me a photograph 

 taken August 1, 1914, by Mr. Edward R. Warren, of Colo- 

 rado Springs, which showed a gopher snake in the act of 

 swallowing a chipmunk tail first only the head of the chip- 

 munk remained exposed," 



