TREATMENT OF SNAKES IN CAPTIVITY. 63 



tropical serpents a year ago, by tunnelling the tree for the 

 passage of a hot water-pipe with good results. 



The actual degree of temperature will vary in accordance with 

 that of the natural habitat of the snakes, their progress of accli- 

 matization, the time of year, and the exposure of the cage ; heat 

 will of course evaporate more rapidly through four glass sides than 

 through one, and from a structure situated in the open air than 

 from one under cover. Such a position as the former is not likely 

 to be chosen, nor is it to be recommended in any climate subject 

 to severe winters ; the difficulty in keeping up the temperature 

 in all but the hottest summer weather is immense, the glass 

 is perpetually dimmed by moisture, shutters are required, and 

 visitors are few and far between in times of frost and snow. 

 Perhaps, on an average, 75° Fahrenheit may be a fair register 

 during the day ; slightly elevated before feeding, and allowed to 

 fall to 65° or thereabouts at night. A uniformly high tempera- 

 ture is an evil usually overlooked, and will be mentioned in 

 . connection with the topic of hybernation. Great attention should 

 be paid to the mechanism for regulating the heat, that it is 

 always in perfect working order, so that the temperature may be 

 controlled to a degree. If the floor be too hot or too cold, the 

 snakes — although tolerant within fairly wide limits — are prone to 

 vomit, and acquire an irritable condition of stomach ; while they 

 may be (and often are) either chilled or scorched to death. 

 A large number of little Nose-horned Vipers, which were born in 

 this country a short time ago, were absolutely baked dry and 

 crisp before they were discovered on the gravel where the parent 

 Viper lay at ease ! If rugs are put in at night, they should be 

 removed in the daytime ; a better plan, when there is any trouble 

 in keeping up the warmth, is to cover the ventilators and glass 

 with blankets during the night ; but if this be not sufficient, the 

 snakes themselves may be covered up. 



A small cage for snakes from one to three or four feet in 

 length requiring artificial heat, adapted to stand in any room, 

 may be constructed conveniently on the plan of those which con- 

 tain moths and tarantulas in the Insectarium in the Regent's 

 Park, with the addition of a reservoir for hot water underneath. 

 Its size must depend, as in the last case, on that of the reptiles 

 it is intended to accommodate, and on the taste of the proprietor. 

 The same rules may be laid down — that it cannot be too large, 



