THE BOA CONSTRICTOR 295 



So great is the strength of the boa, that in a few seconds the 

 victim is not only dead, but crushed into a shapeless mass; and then 

 the snake proceeds to eat it. 



At first sight this would seem a very difficult task, for snakes 

 cannot tear their victims into pieces, as many creatures of prey 

 do. They are obliged to swallow them whole; and the animals 

 killed by the boa constrictor are often larger in diameter than its 

 own body. How, then, is it to swallow them? 



Both the jaws, and the throat and body of the boa constrictor, 

 are formed in a very curious way; for the former can separate one 

 from the other when necessary, while the latter can be stretched 

 almost indefinitely. And by slow degrees the boa swallows its 

 victim, whose outline may often be clearly traced through the 

 highly-stretched skin of the snake's body. 



After such a feast it does not require any more food for some 

 time, and generally goes to sleep for several days, while its meal 

 is being digested. It can always fast for several weeks, if necessary, 

 without seeming to suffer from hunger. 



The boa constrictor is not one of the venomous snakes, and 

 has no poison fangs in its mouth. Its palate, however, is lined 

 with several rows of curved teeth, which all point towards the 

 throat. These help it very much in swallowing its prey; for they 

 hold it firmly in position, and do not allow it to be forced back 

 by the pressure of the muscles of the neck. 



The Anaconda is so much like the boa constrictor that it is 

 often mistaken for it. This snake seldom attacks man; but the 

 natives are very much afraid of it, and will never go near the pools 

 in which it is so fond of lurking. 



The anaconda is larger than the boa constrictor, being some- 

 times upwards of thirty feet in length. 



The Python, which has been known also to attain the length 

 of thirty feet, is confined to the tropical countries of the Old 

 World. It has no poison fangs, but crushes its victims like the 

 boa. One peculiarity of this snake is that it coils itself round its 

 eggs, and protects them until the young are hatched. 



