338 CONSTRICTOR BOA. 



cattle, deer, ~&c. by t\\ isting around them in such 

 a manner as to crush them to death by continued 

 pressure *, after which they swallow them in a 

 very gradual manner ; and when thus gorged with 

 their prey, become almost torpid with repletion, 

 and if discovered in this state, may without much 

 difficulty be destroyed by shooting or other me- 

 thods. There is reason to suppose that these gi- 

 gantic serpents are become less common now than 

 some centuries backwards, and that in proportion 

 as cultivation and population have increased, the 

 larger species of noxious animals have been ex- 



*This practice of the larger serpents seems to have been well 

 known to the ancients: thus Lucan, speaking of the monstrous 

 African snakes (which he also represents as furnished with wings), 

 tells us they destroy Oxen, and even Elephants, by writhing 

 around and crushing them to death. 



" Vos quoque, qui cunctis innoxia numina terns 

 Serpitis, aurato nitidi fulgore Dracones, 

 Pestifcros ardcns t'acit Africa, ducitis altum 

 Aera cum pennis, armentaque tota secuti 

 Rumpitis ingentes amplexi verbere tauros. 

 Nee tutus spatio est Elephas: datis omnia ieto: 

 Nee vobis opus est ad noxia t'ata veneiio." 



Ye too, in other climes who harmless rove 

 In gilded scales, the guardians of the grove, 

 In horrid Afric's pestilential air 

 Acquire new natures from the burning glare : 

 Ride thro' the blaze of noon on sable wing, 

 Quick on th' affrighted herds with fury spring; 

 And gathering all your folds in writhings dire, 

 Bid the huge Ox beneath your crush expire : 

 Th' enormous Elephant by force can slav, 

 And need no poison to secure your prey. 



The tale of Laocoon in Virgil might be also adduced f 

 example of this particular. 



