TREATMENT OF SNAKES IN CAPTIVITY. 211 



male serpent can always be distinguished by the presence of two 

 hooks upon the under surface, a cast of which is visible in the 

 slough. 



Many of the Australian snakes are of especial interest, but 

 unhappily very few reach our shores alive, owing to the protracted 

 voyage. Two members of the Boidce belonging to that country 

 would be eminently suitable for the cage we are considering — the 

 Diamond Snake (Morelia spilotes, Lacepede), and the Carpet 

 Snake {Morelia variegata, Gray). Certain large Colubers would 

 appear to advantage there, too, notably the so-called Rat-snakes 

 from Ceylon or India and South America, which grow to ten or 

 twelve feet, but are much more slender than pythonoid serpents 

 of a corresponding length. They eat frogs, small rats, and birds. 

 The former (Coryphodon blumenbachii, Dumeril and Bibron), of 

 a silver or pale olive colour, is the easier to tame ; the South 

 American one (Spilotes variabilis, Wagler), also called the Wasp- 

 snake, presents a shining black, barred with yellow, the two 

 colours varying enormously in their proportion and arrangement 

 in different individuals, and is a pretty and curious reptile. 

 Neither is uncommon, the Ceylon variety, however, being brought 

 to Europe in much the greater quantity ; I was once offered over 

 a dozen for five shillings apiece by an English dealer, who had 

 received a large box full in the depth of winter. Both have 

 singularly flattened necks, and the South American species pro- 

 duces a rattling noise by quivering its tail upon the ground when 

 it is excited. The bite of these Rat- snakes is insignificant com- 

 pared to that of constrictors of an equal length, since their 

 mouths are so much smaller; but the Boidce are more to be 

 recommended to the amateur, as feeding better, healthier, more 

 docile, and displaying a higher degree of character. 



For the smaller heated cage, with the reservoir underneath, 

 it may be said that any snake of a size proportionate to its 

 dimensions is suitable to it, since none of those which inhabit 

 the higher latitudes and thrive in a temperate climate object to a 

 little more warmth. All those, therefore, which are mentioned in 

 the third class may be considered applicable to this as well ; 

 some, too, which get through the hottest summer months here 

 comfortably enough without artificial increase of temperature will 

 require to be kept in such a cage during the rest of the year ; 

 some need a little extra heat to induce them to feed ; while it is 



