THE BOA CONSTRICTOR. 453 



stantly have rendered him powerless, had presence of mind 

 enough to cut with a large knife, which he carried about with 

 him, deep gashes in the neck and throat of his antagonist, 

 thereby killing him, and disengaging himself from his fright- 

 ful situation. He never afterwards recovered the use of that 

 limb, which had sustained considerable injury from the fangs 

 and mere force of his jaws." Some of the smaller species are 

 brought over to this country. The change of climate soon 

 throws them into a state bordering on stupefaction ; but even 

 then they are not to be trifled with. A Mr. Cops, keeper of 

 the lion-office, was holding a fowl to one of the kind, called the 

 Tiger Python, when the reptile made a spring, but missing 

 the fowl seized him by the thumb of the left hand, and coiled 

 round his arm and neck in a moment. Mr. Cops was alone, 

 but made strenuous efforts to free himself from the attack of 

 the snake. He attempted to seize the brute by the head ; 

 not succeeding in this, he threw himself on the floor, that he 

 might have a better chance of grappling with the reptile. 

 Fortunately two other keepers came in, and succeeded in 

 breaking the teeth of the serpent, and freeing him from his 

 dangerous situation. The two broken teeth were extricated 

 from his thumb, and no serious evil ensued. 



Coiled up in watchful expectation of some victim, or hang- 

 ing amongst the branches of a tree, in some dark ravine, 

 waiting for the approach of its prey, this frightful monster 

 hesitates not to attack the unwary traveller, and darting 

 upon him with unerring certainty, speedily crushes him in its 

 fearful folds. A shriek, a convulsive struggle a few frantic 

 cries growing more and more faint all is over, and the 

 strong man is but a lifeless mass, to be gorged at the leisure 

 of his destroyer. 



Travellers in districts where these reptiles are found may 

 well be thankful that they are not numerous. As civilization 

 advances, and the dark forests are cut down by the increas- 

 ing population, and the sedgy banks of the rivers are cleared 



