SXAKE-FEICBING. 585 



8. Crossed Viper {^Lacli.esls alterjiatus). 



This snake, received in April 1914, was offered living food 

 after- having refused dead prey for fifteen months. The live mice 

 vi'ere accepted, but unfortunately the snake died shortly after its 

 mieal. 



9. Texas Rattlesnake {Crotalus atrox). 



The snake, acquired in June 1909, fed from time to time upon 

 dead animals up to June 1911. Having refused food from then 

 up to September, and as it was becoming emaciated, in the first 

 week of September it was ofiered live rats, which were refused. 

 The following week it fed on three dead mice. From that day 

 to its death in January 1912 it refused all food whether live 

 or dead, 



10. Texas Rattlesnake (Crotalus at7'ox). 



As this snake, which was received in May 1912, refused dead 

 food for the first six weeks of its captivity, it was decided to 

 give it living animals, and it was offered live rats during the 

 month of July. It, however, refused both the live and the dead 

 food, and died in September. 



Although a number of persons with much experience in keeping 

 these reptiles in captivity, have been unsuccessful in inducing 

 their specimens to accept dead prey, the above records, I think, 

 prove that, in our Gardens, at least, it is quite unnecessary to 

 give any snakes live food, as out of about 300 snakes kept here 

 during the period covering these observations, with the exception 

 of the Crossed Viper which died shortly after its meal, not a 

 single snake would feed on live animals only, and in four cases 

 dead food was accepted after the live prey had been refused. 



A point greatly in favour of giving dead animals to the snakes 

 lies in the possibility of examining the former for tubercle. Up 

 to the month of June 1910 the animals intended for the snakes 

 were not examined. At the suggestion, however, of Professor 

 Plimmer, the Society's Pathologist, from that date onwards the 

 food has been carefully inspected and about 5 per cent, condemned, 

 with the result that tubercle in snakes which prior to June 1910, 

 accounted for 14 per cent, of the deaths, has been reduced to just 

 over 3 per cent. In the years 1908, 1909, and the first half 

 of 1910, before the inauguration of the new system, 33 snakes 

 in all died of tubercle, while since the examination of the food, 

 i.e. the second half of 1910, and the years 1911, 1912, 1913, 

 1914, and the first half of 1915, there have been 23 cases only. 



It is generally believed that if snakes will take dead animals 

 these have to be quite freshly killed and warm. Such is, 

 however, not the case, for, as has been pointed out by Dr. 

 Chalmers Mitchell and Mr. Pocock, the prey is frequently not 

 taken until long after it has been introduced into the cages. 



