192 THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 



and occurs with local modifications as far cast 

 and south as Natal. In the latter country 



it is most familiarly known as the \\IAI. 



ROCK-SNAKE. 



Some rather singular incidents have been 

 recorded illustrating the tenacity with which 

 pythons retain hold of the quarry once sei/ed, 

 or, more correctly, their inability to release 

 it. At the Adelaide Zoological Gardens a 

 specimen, when absorbing a rabbit, man,* 

 to entangle its teeth in a corner <>t 

 blanket. That blanket had to follow the 

 rodent through the 12-foot-long python. < >n 

 another occasion two pythons, a (Jueenslander 

 and Afrikander, happened at the s.tim- instant 

 to commandeer respectively the head and 

 hindquarters of an identical rabbit. Inch by 

 inch the portion between the two grew smaller 

 until the two noses met. Theiv was no 

 retreating from this impasse, and the mo- 

 mentous question, " Shall I slay my brother 

 boa?" had to be settled affirmatively by one 

 or other of the interested parties without 

 further parley. The somewhat smaller and 

 weaker individual was gradually telescoped, 

 and in due time assimilated. The absorber 

 was decidedly poorly and "oft" colour " for a 

 considerable period after accomplishing this 

 cannibalistic feat ; it ultimately recovered both 

 its appetite and its prismatic tints. 



The TklT. BOAS, as distinguished from 

 the Pythons, are more essentially arboreal in 

 their habits, and. with the exception of one or 

 two species found in Madagascar, belong to 

 the tropical American zoological region. The 

 COMMON BOA, or BOA-C-IINSTKICIOU, which 

 attains to a length of 12 or 14 feet or more, 

 is limited in its distribution to South America. 



The colours of this snake, which consist 

 mainly of a light brown, with a number of 

 dark brown cross-bars on the back, and light 

 centred, dark brown spots on the sides. 

 so nearly agree with the tint of the 

 tree-branches with their interlacing shadows, among which it usually lies concealed, that, 

 notwithstanding its large size, it readily evades detection, and is unconsciously approached by 

 the animals on which it preys. These, in adult individuals, may be represented by such 

 large-sized quarry as dogs, and even deer; while smaller examples prey largely on birds and 

 their eggs, and the numerous rodents with which the tropical American forests teem. From 

 observations made upon this species in captivity, it would appear that the eggs are usually 

 hatched within the parent's body, though an instance has been recorded in which both , 

 ana young were produced simultaneously. 



A close ally of the typical boas, which shares with them a tropical South Ameucan 



A GROUP OF GARTER-SNAKES 



A common ifecict viiict colltat ngattr in great numbcri 



