PART III-NATURAL HISTORY. 



CHAPTER I— The Snake at liberty. 



We have but little knowledge of the habits of snakes when 

 at liberty, owing to the difficulties attending the observation 

 of such animals in tropical climates ;* vigilant and patient, 

 they mostly remain during the day in a state of repose, 

 seeking their prey at those hours when most animals have 

 relaxed from their usual watchfulness and are at rest for the 

 night. Whether ground or tree-snakes, they remain patiently 

 in the same attitude until their prey approach, then^ gently 

 gliding over the short distance which intervenes, they 

 pounce on the unsuspecting victim. The approach is so 

 imperceptible that doubtless a certain amount of Curiosity 

 must often fix the attention of animals on perceiving the 

 snake for two or three seconds before they become aware of 

 their danger ; but of fascination as it is called, there appears 

 to be none. 



The habits of snakes are so retiring and so little apt to 

 attract attention, that they rarely obtrude themselves on our 

 notice. The only occasions on which we observe them are 

 when they imprudently venture near our habitations, or 

 when the eye of the sportsman is quartering the ground 

 anxiously for the first movement of game. At other times 



* From the eagerness of people to look for the marvellous in aU 

 that concerns snakes, the observations of non-scientific enquirers are 

 always open to suspicion. On this subject, the safest plan is to 

 believe nothing that you hear, and only half what you see yourself, 

 guarding carefully against the liability of your visual impressions 

 being influenced by your expectations and pre-conceived ideas. 



