182 INDIAN PYTHONS. 



to quit its dwelling, where it remained screwing itself about, 

 seemingly in a great state of alarm, and seeking safety from 

 danger, like the " ostrich of the sandy desert," by attempting 

 to hide its head. After just securing such a fine specimen of 

 the serpent family, killing this apparently harmless member 

 of it also would have been wanton butchery. 



When the violent contortions of the dying monster had 

 somewhat subsided, we hauled it out and hoisted it on to the 

 elephant, not, however, without some trouble from its enor- 

 mous weight, and the excessive slipperiness of its smooth 

 skin. We left the remaining python in undisputed possession 

 of its now lonely abode, from which it still seemed loath to 

 depart. A Goorkha, when out with his gun a day or two 

 after, came across it in the jungle not far from its old haunt, 

 and being unaware of my merciful intentions towards the 

 creature, shot it and brought it to me as a grand trophy. 



I have already given the dimensions of the large one as it 

 lay unstretched. It was beautifully and brightly marked 

 with yellow and black. It is now a cleverly executed speci- 

 men of taxidermy by the late H. Ward of Vere Street, and 

 forms a prominent if not a very elegant addition to my small 

 collection of shikar trophies. 



My own experience of Indian pythons is, that they are 

 not the fierce, bone-crushing creatures they are commonly 

 thought to be, at any rate with regard to human beings. 

 Indeed, from what information I have been able to gather 

 concerning them, they appear to be quite harmless; their 

 prey chiefly consisting of birds, hares, fawns, and " suchlike 

 small deer." But I never have come across them during the 

 hot season, when they may possibly be more lively. In 

 winter they always seemed to be timid, and usually sluggish, 

 on being disturbed. This may account for our being able to 

 play such pranks with them as we did with impunity. 



From this diversion let us hark back to the putteyr swamp. 

 This time when beating through it we saw neither tiger nor 



