500 , MESSES. MOLE AND TJEICH ON THE [June 19, 



Wlien given a large vessel of water it lies in it with the nose just 

 ahove the surface, and when in this position woe to the unhappy 

 mouse or rat which goes to drink, for it is immediately seized by 

 the nose or foot, dragged into the water, and put to death by 

 drowning and constriction with the rapidity of a flash of 

 lightuing — a convulsive flourish of an escaped limb or tail, a gasp 

 for breath from lungs from which all air has been expelled, and 

 all is over. The snake then devours its prey in the water, 

 sometimes being as long as a quarter of an hour or twenty 

 minutes without coming to the surface for air. Snakes of this 

 species, newly born, only nine or ten inches long, will frequently 

 ])rey in this manner. The species is possessed of great constrictive 

 power, and, though it has a much smaller head than most snakes 

 in proportion to its size, will devour very large animals, as the 

 following incident will show :• — On Nov. 20, 1893, a female 

 common rat, in good condition — which after death gave the 

 following measurements : 10| inches from tip of nose to root of 

 tail ; tail 8| inches long ; 5^ inches round the chest : head 2| 

 inches from immediately behind the ear to the tip of nose— was 

 put into a cage containing two Boa Constrictors and three Epicrates 

 cenchris. The rat was exceptionally ferocious, and frequently 

 rushed at the big Boas and nipped them. Not being hungry they 

 coiled themselves up closely in a corner, as also did the E. cenchris 

 with the exception of one, which at that time was 47 inches long, 

 and the circumference of which at its thickest part was only 4| 

 inches, while its head was only 1| inch long. This snake, m hich 

 was in poor condition was born in capti^'ity on June 14th, 1890, 

 and for twelve months previously having had very little food, had 

 reached a stage when it was with difficulty persuaded to eat. The 

 rat in running about the cage passed once or twice near this 

 snake, which on the third occasion seized it by the ear, threw it 

 on its back, and encircled the animal with a couple of coils round 

 the chest. Blood gushed from the rat's mouth, its eyes projected 

 from their sockets, the hind legs and tail were violently convulsed, 

 and in less than a quarter of a minute the rat was dead. The 

 snake then proceeded to devour it, but was not allowed to do so 

 because of its emaciated condition, as the meal would probably 

 have resulted in its death or, at least, permanent injury. This 

 snake eventually got so low, that it had to be fed compulsorily, 

 and after months of careful attention is now showing signs o£ 

 returning health. 



Epicrates cenchris is essentially a night snake. We have never 

 known it to eat lizards, in which it differs from Condlus. On one 

 occasion, howe\er, a large lizard, Polychrus marmoratus, being in- 

 troduced into the cage of one of these snakes, threatened its rightful 

 inmate. The snake resented the opened mouth and fierce attitude of 

 the lizard, and seizing it threw several coils round it, gave it a tight 

 squeeze and then let go again. The lizard thoroughly cowed 

 retreated into the furthest corner. On another occasion one of 

 these snakes was given half a dozen young hairless rats. They 



