3028 TIMEHRI. 
The instances of the two snakes—one a land boa and 
the other a water boa—naturally eating dead animals 
placed in their cages, appear to be quite exceptional, for 
in other specimens such consumption was only brought 
about by strategy. 
Properly fed and taken care of, the water boa, and the 
land boa also, become extremely quiet and gentle—per- 
haps, more truly, sluggish—in their movements, and a 
large specimen of the former, over 20 feet in length, 
manifested in confinement not the slightest inclina- 
tion, nor made the slightest attempt, to attack when 
disturbed, or even when quietly handled. These reptiles 
are no¢turnal in their habits, and, when they have the 
chance, seek out dark corners in which to shelter them- 
selves from the light. 
When these snakes have become accustomed to a 
special diet, such as rats for instance, they seem at times 
to negleét, even when they are in want of food, other 
creatures that at first they would have seized upon at once. 
Thus a large Salempenta or Teguexin Lizard has remained 
for years in a cage with a water boa, unmolested, even 
when the latter has been hungry, and has taken four 
large rats in succession. 
It is a common belief that the boas jaibttielee their 
prey before swallowing it. There is really not the 
slightest foundation for the belief. After the objeé& 
is dead, the snake usually passes its head along or about 
the body, perhaps to get some idea of the size, but 
more likely to find the situation of the head, at which 
part it almost invariably starts to swallow. At this 
stage, there is no saliva on the objeét; but if, after 
it is partly swallowed, it has to be rejected on account of 
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