HOW THEY KILL THEIR PREY. 225 



the air in the cage be warm, they become sluggish, refusing all 

 food, and die of starvation. After swallowing a rat, a Puff Adder 

 will rarely take food again for at least a month. I have succeeded 

 in keeping Puff Adders alive for considerable periods by artificially 

 feeding them. An oiled glass tube is shpped down the reptile's 

 throat and the contents of fowls' eggs are squirted down into the 

 stomach by means of a syringe. The glass tube can be dis- 

 pensed with, and the nozzle of the syringe inserted into the 

 snake's throat. An easy plan is to insert the tube of a glass 

 funnel into the reptile's throat and pour the liquid food into the 

 funnel. If it does not run down freely, it may be worked down 

 by manipulating the snake's throat with the fingers. 



The cages in which snakes are kept should be well ventilated 

 and the air in the interior should not be allowed to fall below 

 75^ Fahr. 



How They kill Their Prey. 



A Puff Adder can swallow the largest of barn rats with ease. 

 Whenever a live rat is introduced into a cage containing Puff 

 Adders, whichever of them is in a mood for feeding will wait till 

 the rat approaches sufficiently close, then, with a swinging side 

 stroke of lightning-like rapidity, the fangs are driven home. 

 Although rats are exceedingly nimble, the stroke is so rapid that 

 the rodent has no time to spring away. Disengaging its fangs, the 

 snake keeps the rat in view, but makes no attempt to capture it, 

 evidently well aware its victim is incapable of moving far away. 

 The stricken rat runs about at random in a dazed sort of way for 

 a minute or two, then the back legs become paralysed, and the 

 victim rapidly dies. The instant the victim ceases to move, the 

 snake leisurely advances, investigates with its sensitive forked 

 tongue, and finding the head, forthwith begins the swallowing 

 process, which, in the case of a very large rat, lasts half an 

 hour or so. 



Rats, when introduced into a cage containing venomous 

 snakes, show little or no fear. On several occasions I have 

 allowed rats to remain with Puff Adders and other venomous 

 snakes overnight, and in the morning discovered one, sometimes 

 several, snakes dead, and parts of their bodies eaten, the rats 

 sitting in corners or on the branches in the cage, quite contented, 

 and fast asleep. Rats will even kill the fierce Cobra at times. 



Q 



