256 
by the anaconda, which secures its victim 
with its teeth, at the same time coiling itself 
round the animal and so crushing it to death. 
Apropos of snakes it may be interesting 
to note that there was an increase in the 
number of deaths from snake bites, etc., 
India during 1901. According to the returns 
published recently snakes are said to have 
killed 22,810 persons that year, as against 
22,393 im the previous year. Here, too, may 
be mentioned the fact that an increase is 
also indicated in the number 
wild animals in India. 
of deaths from 
It appears that these 
Animal Life 
A CORRESPONDENT writes from Wimborne: 
“A very interesting and un- 
Hybrids. common hybrid can be bred 
from a hen Pheasant and 
a cock Bantam. The eggs should be 
hatched under a hen bantam, as a pheasant 
will very varely sit in confinement. The 
hybrid is of a better colour if a pure 
white pheasant can be obtained. ‘The 
young are rather delicate, but can be 
reared like ordinary fowls with the addition 
of a little animal food, such as ants’ eggs 
when fresh.” We have heard of a cock 
SRS ees 
accounted for some 1,859 human beings 
between January and December, 1901, as 
against 1,429 in 1900. ‘Tigers are the 
principal offenders, having killed no less than 
1,171 persons, of whom 162 lost their lives 
in a single district of the Central Provinces. 
ANACONDA AFTER SWALLOWING A WILD BOAR, 
ox 
SNS 
pheasant breeding with a farm hen, but 
this is the first time that the case of a 
hen pheasant taking to a bantam cock has 
come under our notice. Perhaps some of 
our readers could tell us of other interesting 
hybrids. 
