SNAKES 



193 



[ Fastbaurnt 



Fhoto t; d. G. F. Sfurrtll, Ej?.] 



LEOPARD-SNAKE 



A harmless and beautifully marked species inhabiting Italy and Sicily 



habitat, is the huge ANACONDA, or 

 WATER-BOA, of Brazil and the adja- 

 cent countries. This animal, which is 

 undoubtedly the largest living repre- 

 sentative of the Serpent Tribe, attains 

 a length little, if any, short of 40 

 feet. One such monster was specially 

 referred to by Dr. Gardiner, the 

 botanist, in his " Travels in Brazil " ; 

 it had devoured a horse, and was 

 found dead, entangled in the branches 

 of a tree overhanging a river, into 

 which it had been carried by a flood. 

 Full-grown cattle, and occasionally 

 human beings, as well as horses, are 

 alleged to fall victims to the destruc- 

 tive prowess of this gigantic snake. 

 The anaconda isessentiallyamphibious 

 in its habits, the greater part of its 

 life being spent in the water, lying in wait, in the quiet lagoons and backwaters, with only 

 its head above the surface, and prepared to seize 'any unfortunate animal which may come to 

 the brink to drink. At other times it will coil itself upon the trunks and larger branches of 

 the adjacent trees, and from that point of vantage will dart down its head, with sure aim and 

 lightning rapidity, to seize any suitable quarry which may pass beneath. In some parts of 

 South America where the rivers dry up at certain seasons of the year, the anaconda is recorded 

 to be in the habit of burying itself in the mud and lying torpid, after the manner of 

 crocodiles, until the return of the rains. The ground-colour of the anaconda is usually greyish 

 brown or olive above, the back being ornamented with one or two transversely disposed rows 

 of large, rounded, dark brown or blackish spots, while the sides are decorated with more 

 irregularly scattered, smaller, eye-like spots, having whitish centres and dark margins. 



An interesting little group, connecting the Boas and Pythons with the Common Snakes, 

 is that of the so-called SHIELD-TAILS, or EARTH-SNAKES, of India and Ceylon. These reptiles 



are earth-burrowers, like the Blind- 

 snakes, previously referred to, but 

 have well-developed eyes, and are 

 further distinguished by the abruptly 

 truncated contour of their posterior 

 extremity, which may be either a 

 naked disk or covered with keeled 

 scales. Their bodies are cylindrical, 

 with the scaly covering very smooth 

 and polished, the scales of the under- 

 surface being but little larger than 

 theupperones ; the jaws, inconformity 

 with the peculiar modification of their 

 skull, arc not capable of wide dis- 

 tension. Seven genera and a large 

 number of species are recognised, some 



rh,t, by H. G. F. s?urr,ii, E,,.-] [Ea,ib, u ,n, being brilliantly coloured with tints 



TESSELATED SNAKE of red or yellow. Their main diet is 



A European sf>ecies t similar in si-ze and habits to the British ringed snakr, but 



more handsomely marked ThcfamilyoftlieCOMMOXSXAKES 



