SNAKES OF CEYLON. 39 



it sometimes comes into conflict with other large snakes, for 

 Mr. Donaghey told me that, coming back to camp one day 

 in Burma, his coolies produced two snakes which they said 

 they had discovered fighting, and which they killed. These 

 proved to be a Python molurus and a hamadryad {Naia 

 bungarus). They reported that the python had closed its 

 jaws on the hamadryad and secured it fast. I saw and 

 examined the two skins. The hamadryad measured 10 feet 

 3 J inches and the python 7 feet 11 inches. In the former 

 skin, at the junction of the middle and the posterior thirds, 

 was a rent 3| inches long, corresponding to the python's 

 grasp. It is impossible, of course, to surmise which was the 

 aggressor in the fight, but the python, though smaller, was 

 giving a good account of itself. 



The most curious meal that I have had reported to me was a 

 double handful of earthworms, and a handful of the berry 

 called by natives "jaman" {Eugenia jambolana). My infor- 

 mant was Mr. J. H. Mitchell, a planter in Assam. 



In captivity the python usually eats heartily and frequent- 

 ly, accepting anything that is offered, as the following annual 

 bills of fare will show : Phipson says one in Bombay ate 23 

 rats, 3 hens, 3 crows, and 1 kestrel. One in Madras * ate 

 82 jerboas, but would not touch house rats ; another ate 

 59 jerboas, 8 squirrels, and 2 quails ; a third accounted for 

 37 rats, 21 squirrels, and 3 quails. In Travancore one at« 

 a spotted deer and 11 fowls ; another 1 nilghai fawn, 1 hare, 



1 rabbit, 13 fowls, and 1 pond heron ; a third ate 14 fowls 

 and 1 crown pigeon ; a fourth 2 dogs, 2 hare wallabies, 



2 bandicoots, and 54 fowls ; a fifth 4 bandicoots, 19 fowls, 

 and 1 spotted dove ; and a sixth 1 hare wallaby, 1 bandicoot, 

 and 15 fowls.f 



It not infrequently happens that where two are caged 

 together both strike at the same animal, and begin to swallow 

 from opposite ends till their noses meet, when if one does not 

 relinquish its hold, one gets its jaws over the other and swal- 

 lows its mate. This happened once in Regent's Park and 



" Kindly communicated to me by Dr. J. K. Henderson. 



■f For this information I am indebted to Colonel P. W. Dawson, 



