98 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Bodies of stags, &c. found in its gullet. 



minous tvvistings ; and at every twist the bones 

 of the buffalo were heard to crack almost as loud 

 as the report of a gun. It was in vain that the 

 animal struggled and bellowed ; its enormous 

 enemy entwined it so closely that at length all 

 its bones were crushed to pieces like those of a 

 malefactor on the wheel, and the whole body 

 reduced to one uniform mass ; the serpent then 

 untwined its folds, to swallow its prey at leisure. 

 To prepare for this, and also to make it slip down 

 the throat the more smoothly, it was seen to lick 

 the whole body over, and thus cover it with a 

 mucilaginous substance. It then began to swal- 

 low it at the end that afforded the least resist- 

 ance; and in the act the throat suffered so great 

 a dilation, that it took in at once a substance 

 that was thrice its own thickness. 



Travellers have also asserted that these animals 

 are sometimes found with the body of a stag in 

 their gullet; while the horns, which they are un- 

 able to swallow, are seen sticking out at their 

 mouths. Happily for mankind the rapacity of 

 these creatures is often their own punishment; 

 for, whenever they have gorged themselves in 

 this manner they become torpid, and may be 

 approached and destroyed with safety. Patient 

 of hunger to a surprising degree, whenever they 

 seize and swallow their prey they seem, like sur- 

 feited gluttons, unwieldy, stupid, helpless, and 

 sleepy. They at that time seek for some retreat, 

 where they may lurk for several days together, 



