354 FASCIATED BOA. 



an apparently weak and languid state, having 

 been bruised in taking, luting set at liberty in a 

 room, it crept slowly towards an obscure corner, 

 where a chicken being presented to him he took no 

 particular notice of it, and even suffered the bird 

 to stand on his back. As he shewed no diposition to 

 bite, his jaws were forcibly opened, and the thigh 

 of the chicken being placed between them, the 

 mouth was so closed over it as to oblige the fangs 

 to act. The bird, when disengaged, shewed im- 

 mediate symptoms of poison, and after several 

 ineffectual efforts to rise, rested with the beak on 

 the ground, the head being seized with trembling. 

 In the space of twenty minutes it lay down on one 

 side, and convulsions soon supervening, it expired 

 within twenty-six minutes from the bite. This 

 was the only experiment made ; the snake itself 

 dying in the course of the next day ; but from the 

 languid state in which it appeared, and the effect 

 of its bite on the chicken, it may be concluded 

 that, when in full vigour, it must be an animal of 

 a highly dangerous nature. Dr. Russel observes, 

 that the fangs are very short for the size of the 

 snake, and that two are visible on each side. 



