TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION D. 911 



4. A New Theory of Retrogression. By G. A. Reid. 



5. On the so-called Fascination of Snakes. By Dr. A. J. Harbison. 



The author stated that from ohservations he had made in the Zoological 

 Gardens, Clifton, during many years, with regard to the fascination of snakes over 

 their victims, he had come to the conclusion that such power did not exist. He 

 based his remarks chiefly upon investigations he had himself made upon snakes in 

 the Gardens, mostly the python and the boa constrictor. These researches were 

 divided into three groups : (1) general, extending over many years ; (2) more 

 particular ones, personal, and in the presence of friends, or not ; and (3) those of 

 other and distinct observers. 



The very names the ancients gave to the larger snakes, the history of the 

 basilisk, the direful properties and extraordinary magnitudes which they attached 

 to them, all worked upon the imagination, and prepared the mind for marvels • 

 these strange ideas are for all time crystallised, so to speak, in that magnificent 

 work of art Laocoon and his sons being destroyed by enormous serpents. 



With regard to the first set of observations, the author related instances where 

 rabbits, ducks, fowls, or rats have been placed in snakes' cages when the animals 

 were inclined to feed, and yet the victims evinced no fear ; sometimes they even 

 attacked the snakes. Under the second heading more minute observations were 

 given, which were often made in the presence of other persons. The description 

 of a python when ' on his feed ' was given, his increased activity and brightness of 

 his stony and lidless eyes, slight rise of temperature, the opening and gaping 

 mouth ; and when these conditions were well fulfilled, the victims when 

 placed in the cage, did not seem to evince any alarm, and certainly were not over- 

 come by the fascinating spell. On the other hand, if the prey was not at once seized 

 as not unfrequently happened, the duck, or the rat, or the fowl, or the rabbit 

 might even attack the snake, and for a time almost reverse the position of victim and 

 victimiser. When the snake did attack the onslaught was surprisingly sudden 

 and very subtle. 



The author then quoted the experiences of other observers, Mr. C. T. Buckland 

 Miss Catherine Hopley, Dr. Clement Stead, the brothers Hagenbeck, of Hamburg' 

 Jamrach, a large London dealer, and several others. The evidence of all these was 

 opposed to any theory of fascination. 



In conclusion he related some recent observations which he had made on 

 twenty-two young boas born in the Gardens. 



6. On the Scientific Experiments to Test the Effects of the Closure of 

 Certain Areas in Scottish Seas. By W. C. McIntosh, F.B.S. 



In this paper the subject is dealt with under three heads, viz.— (1) The Eesults 

 of the Investigations in St. Andrew's Bay ; (2) those in the Firth of Forth • and 

 (8) those in the Moray Firth. 



In order to ensure uniformity of treatment, and to make every source of 

 information available, the statistical tables were prepared on the same lines as 

 those for the Trawling Commission under Lord Dalhousie (1883-85). 



In glancing at the averages for the period in St. Andrew's Bay the closure is 

 shown to have produced no increase of the food-fishes. On the contrary the 

 report of the Fishery Board, under whom the experiments in the ' Garland ' were 

 carried out, labours to prove that a diminution has taken place, and therefore a 

 further closure, in extra-territorial waters, is called for. This opinion is based on 

 a contrast of the first five years of the decade with the last five years. But if a 

 map is made of the months during which the hauls took place in the first period 

 (1886-1890), it will be found that they are thickly dotted in the months of 

 August and October, and have a preponderance in September. On the other hand 



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