SNAKE-POISON LITEKATUBE. 11 



perfect rest. The sluggish movements and the 

 perilous rapidity of the dart of vipers when mol- 

 ested, are dangerously deceptive. The mode of 

 attack of these snakes and all other non-hooded Mode of 



attack. 



v«nomous ones, is m wonderful contrast to that of 

 the hooded-snakes, whose every movement may be 

 almost invariably anticipated by an expert mani- 

 pulator ; hence the facility with which they are 

 handled by so-called snake-charmers. Snakes Feeding of 



'' ^ _ snakes. 



when kept in captivity usually refuse food; cobras, 

 however, sometimes consume it readily. Weir 

 Mitchell, finding the food supplied so frequently 

 unconsumed, adopted the plan of feeding such of 

 the snakes as seemed feeble and badly nourished 

 with milk and insects in the following manner: — 

 "The snake was secured, and the lower jaw held 

 in the grasp of a pair of forceps, while a funnel 

 with a long stem was thrust down the sesopha- 

 gus. Into this, insects such as flies and grass- 

 hoppers were pushed, or milk poured in proper 

 quantity." I have had to feed a large Ophiopha- 

 gus, by pushing pieces of meat down its throat 

 with a stick— an operation not altogether pleasant 

 for either the operator or the reptile. One of 

 my little boys had a pet snake, Chrysopelea 

 Ornata (golden tree-snake), which he fed with 



