WILD ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY 



hold on can only be imagined. On one occasion the 

 writer witnessed two large Egyptian monitors pounce 

 upon a snake of about 15 in. in length ; both appeared 

 hungry and equally determined to make a meal of the 

 unlucky snake. They snatched, or rather jerked, at each 

 other, keeping tight hold of their victim, one having 

 the head, the other the tail ; by a number of convulsive 

 efforts each managed to swallow about half the snake, 

 until the noses of the monitors came in contact, when 

 suddenly the one that had the head part of the snake 

 down his throat, managed also to get the nose of his 

 antagonist firmly between his jaws ; then a most desperate 

 struggle ensued which lasted several seconds, and ended 

 by the tail end of the snake being relinquished. It is need- 

 less to add that the whole of the snake was instantly 

 swallowed by the successful monitor. 



An adventure once happened to myself while travelling. 

 I had with me a small box filled with geckos, a very 

 harmless little reptile, and during my temporary absence 

 from the hotel an inquisitive servant opened the box, and 

 being too much alarmed at the sight and the quickness 

 of the reptiles to close the box, rushed out of the room. 

 The animals, finding themselves at liberty, began very 

 soon to run up the walls of the staircase, to the great 

 alarm, horror, and consternation of every one in the hotel, 

 who believed them to be dreadfully venomous. My 

 astonishment may be imagined on returning, late at 

 night, to find everybody sitting up for me, and giving 

 me a very warm reception. No one had dared to 

 venture up-stairs, the foot of which was guarded by a 

 posse of frightened servants armed with pokers and tongs 

 for fear any of the reptiles should escape to the lower part 

 of the hotel. Had it not been that my. services were 

 most urgently required to collect the active little brutes, 



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