REPTILE LIFE IK CAPTIVITY. 7 



in the excreta. The excreta consist of hair masses, 

 entangled in which are a few small bones, which thus 

 have escaped the very active gastric jnices, and iilmost 

 solid masses of nric acid. 



A word of warning may be given to collectors and 

 others— and it is this : never put a freshly imported 

 specimen into a case with snakes which one knows are 

 healthy, always isolate the new arrival as it is quite 

 possible that it may have canker. 



The black python {1\ seha) of W. Africa is 

 frequently imported, and grows rapidly and does well in 

 captivity, as also does the Indian {P. mnlurvs). On the 

 other hand, P. vegius is not a satisfactory feeder. I had 

 an unfortunate experience with a small snake of this 

 species once. It had not fed with me, and I had put a 

 rat weighing six ounces into the cagiJ for a larger snake. 

 I may mention the small python also weighed six 

 ounces. It seized tlie rat and killed it, and with great 

 difficulty swallowed it, but only survived its meal some 

 twenty-four hours. 



Snakes renew tlieir epidermal shields periodically, 

 the young ones will cast every couple of weeks, and the 

 process becomes less frequent as the snake grows. 



Many exaggerated stories are told of the large 

 animals taken by the Constrictors as food, but it is 

 recognised that a snake can only swallow prey the 

 greatest diameter of which does not exceed that of the 

 snake's neck bj- three times. 



A boa in my possession increased from 2^ lbs. to 

 7 lbs. in a year. Certain snakes will not feed readily iri 

 captivity and must be fed artificially. This is best 

 done by means of a smoothly ground glass tube, which 

 is inserted into the snake's mouth and chopped meat 

 gently pushed down. It is necessary to ])e very careful 



