THE COMMON INDIAN SNAKES. 



471 



a low ebb that the snake was incapable of digesting its food, it is 

 not surprising that there was a coincident abeyance in the 

 disquamative process during this period. Specimens in Madras, 

 and Travancore disquamated during the whole year, and appear not 

 to have hibernated. In India the python sloughs five or six times 

 annually as will be seen from the following table of records : — 



* Date uncertain. 



Parasites. — The python like most of its kind harbours many 

 parasites, among which are : — 



(1) A cestode or tapeworm (Bothridmm pijthonis) which may 

 l»e found in great numbers in the intestine (duodenum), either 

 free or attached to the mucous membrane. Professor Shipley 

 found these in a specimen taken at Neligatta, Ceylon.* 



* Spol : Zeylanica, Vol. 1, page 49. 



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