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382 LEAVES FROM THE 



had been swallowed by a very large snake, leap out of 

 the mouth of the latter, taking advantage of an unlucky 

 gape of the snake after the operation was over — an action 

 which is not uncommon with serpents immediately after 

 they have swallowed their prey; and he heard, on another 

 occasion, a frog distinctly utter its peculiar cry several 

 minutes after it had been swallowed by the snake ; this 

 I can confirm. Sometimes two snakes seize upon one 

 luckless frog at the same time — a joint seizure, which is 

 not very likely to happen when the animals are at liberty, 

 and in their natural state, but which passed under the 

 eyes of Mr. Bell, the litigant parties being in imprison- 

 ment. 



He tells us that, on placing a frog in a large box, in 

 which were several snakes, one of the latter instantly 

 seized it by one of the hinder legs; and, immediately 

 afterwards, another of the snakes took forcible possession 

 of the fore leg of the opposite side. Each continued its 

 inroads upon the poor frog's limbs and body, till the 

 upper jaws of the snakes met, and one of them slightly 

 bit the jaw of the other; this was immediately retaliated, 

 Mr. Bell thinks without any hostile feeling, — qucere 

 tanien, as the lawyers say; for, after one or two such 

 accidents, the strongest of the snakes commenced shaking 

 the other, which still kept its hold of the frog, with great 

 violence, from side to side, against the sides of the box. 

 Then the combatants rested for a few moments, when 

 the other returned to the attack ; and at length the one 

 which had last seized the frog, having a less firm hold, 

 was shaken off, and the conqueror swallowed the prey. 

 Mr. Bell, who did not throw his warder down during this 

 gentle passage of arms, then put another frog into the 

 box, which was at once seized and swallowed by the un- 

 successful combatant.* 



* British Reptiles. 



