REPTILES. 197 



to the skull, but to an intermediate bone called the 

 quadrate ; the right and left jaws are also two separate 

 bones. The whole of these parts are connected together 

 by elastic ligaments; thus it happens that the snake is 

 able to swallow animals entire that are many times 

 larger than the normal size of its own mouth. It does 

 not masticate its food, and the teeth are only of use in 

 holding its prey ; hence the animals are swallowed whole 

 and alive, and instances are recorded of frogs being taken 

 from the stomach of the Snake and hopping off, like 

 Jonah, none the worse for their unpleasant experiences ! 

 When a Snake seizes a frog it is generally by one of the 

 hind legs, and the frog soon gives up all attempts to 

 escape; the Snake then by a continuous movement of 

 its jaws works its way up the leg till it reaches the 

 body ; the other hind-leg is now forced forward alongside 

 of the body, and as that is gradually drawn into the now 

 greatly distended maw of the Snake, all three feet are 

 grouped together round the frog's head as they slowly 

 disappear. After a good meal the Snake shows a strong 

 inclination to gape ! If the Snake happens to seize a 

 frog by the middle the procedure is somewhat different 

 it then turns it round in its mouth and swallows it, 

 head first. It is said that the gaze of a Snake exercises 

 a kind of fascination upon small animals and birds, so 

 that they are unable to escape, waiting in a kind of 

 mesmeric trance till the Snake chooses to devour them. 

 This rather ghastly spectacle may be witnessed in 

 the Snake House at the Zoological Gardens, whenever 

 the larger foreign snakes are fed, but we are not sure to 

 what extent it takes place with our native snakes when 

 at large. Frogs are said to utter a peculiar croak of 



