SNAKES 89 



and fixes its teeth as far back over the body [of its 

 prey] as is possible, and then slowly, in big wrinkles, 

 pushes a portion of its mouth and gullet forwards ; 

 then with another gulp gets its teeth fixed still a little 

 further on to the prey and repeats the forward bring- 

 ing up of the body, the general appearance of the 

 motion being similar to that of the progression of an 

 earthworm." The colouring of Python reticulatus strikes 

 a visitor to a museum as highly conspicuous, but as 

 a matter of fact the snake in its natural haunts in 

 jungle is difficult to see ; it is occasionally found 

 coiled up amongst the roots of some forest giant, but 

 when on the look-out for a meal is said to hang head 

 downwards along the trunk of a tree with its tail 

 coiled round a branch ; from this position it can make 

 a grab at any passing animal. Only two authentic 

 cases of men having been attacked by a Python have 

 ever come to my notice. One of these was a Land- 

 Dayak who was seized by the calf of the leg as he 

 was passing a tree down whose trunk hung a Python ; 

 a companion who was walking behind him chopped 

 off the head of the snake, but the man still bore the 

 scars of the Python's bite some years after. 



The following is quoted from the Sarawak Gazette 

 of April 1891, p. 52 : 



"At Judan, a village some six miles from Muka, a man and his 

 son, aged from 10 to 12 years, were sleeping in their house, inside 

 a mosquito curtain. They were on the floor near the wall. In 

 the middle of the night the father was awakened by his son calling 

 out, the lamp was out and the father passed his hand over his son 

 but found nothing amiss, so he turned over and went to sleep again, 

 thinking the boy was dreaming. Shortly afterwards the child again 

 called out saying that a crocodile was taking him. This time the 



