148 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



and feed her forcibly. Accordingly, four large rabbits 'were 

 killed, sewed together with twine, and run down her throat on 

 an eight-foot bamboo pole until only a few inches of the pole 

 protruded from her mouth. Twelve men held the snake during 

 this process, and when the pole had been withdrawn, leaving the 

 rabbits behind it, the big reptile was hurriedly replaced in the 

 cage, where she inmiediatcly started to disgorge the meal. A 

 stream of water played along her body, however, caused her to 

 quickly assume a fighting mood, and was efficacious in causing 

 her to swallow the rabbits. 



For eleven months' time this python was fed in this manner, 

 her food being repeatedly offered between times in the hope that 

 she would begin feeding voluntarily. Such was finally the case, 

 and for nearly a year she fed readily and regularly. Recently, 

 however, Czarina has again evinced a stubborn inclination to 

 fast, and the men of the python squad have been again called into 

 active duty. 



Novel as have been the incidents attending the saving of 

 Czarina's life, one of the Hooded Cobras called for still more 

 original measures. Shortly after the arrival of the three cobras, 

 they engaged in a vicious discussion regarding their food. The 

 largest specimen was bitten through the lower jaw, and although 

 immune to the venom of its cage-mate, the snake developed an 

 abscess. The jaw-bone was involved, and necrosis developed. 

 Although a dangerous undertaking, the writer decided that the 

 value of the snake warranted handling it for examination and 

 treatment. The three specimens represent the only living cobras 

 in this country, and had been procured only after long-continued 

 efforts. 



The Cobra was taken from its cage, and placed upon the floor. 

 A light bamboo stick was placed across its head wdiile it was 

 grasped by the neck. Examination showed the jaw-bone to be 

 badly diseased. This portion of the bone was removed, the lesion 

 washed with antiseptics, and the snake placed back in its cage. 

 The snake was taken from the cage daily for some three weeks. 

 The lesion had been laid bare and a pad of cotton serving as a 

 moist dressing was kept over the infected spot at all times. The 

 necrosis of the jaw-bone continued, however, and the ultimate de- 

 cision was to finally remove the entire bone. During all this time 

 the reptile was nourished with beaten eggs, forced down its 

 throat with a syringe. 



To remove the entire jaw-bone great care was required in or- 

 der not to disficfure the snake's head. A small incision was made 



