138 



duction, often cauterize the fang-matrix ; in some evidently 

 escaped cobras which I have in my collection, there is not 

 a trace of fang or matrix. 



A feast and a fast is more the custom of snakes than 

 frequent feeding ; their prey is generally sufficiently large 

 to ^afford their digestive organs exercise for several days, 

 and during this time they take their ease lying in wait for 

 another meal. The possibility of keeping snakes in captivity 

 entirely depends on their temper ; some snakes feed readily, 

 others are sulky and obstinately refuse food. Amongst the 

 latter are cobras ; I do not know how they manage "with 

 them in Zoological Gardens, but I have never seen a cobra 

 feed, and I think that, unless fed by force, he will starve 

 himself to death. The chain- viper Daboia is very sulky ; 

 if caught when in good case it will live for six months or 

 more without food or drink; but the cobra does not 

 survive its voluntary starvation for more than a month or 

 six weeks. Jugglers either feed their cobras by cramming 

 them with milk or curds, or else let them loose when the 

 lives of their captives are endangered ; probably their 

 experience in snake-catching enables them to re-capture 

 their prisoners at a future time. 



If a snake will not feed himself after being two or three 

 weeks in captivity, he must be fed. The most convenient 

 food for the purpose is fish ; catch the snake by the neck, 

 the finger on one side, the thumb on the other ; present the 

 head of a convenient-sized fish to him, he will easily be 

 induced to make a bite at it, then force it down his throat, 

 guiding the tail with a forceps when it comes within range 

 of the teeth. I need hardly say that the fish should not be 

 cooked, and need not be alive. If the snake, on being 

 released, throw up the fish,* you must begin again, and give 



♦ A snake on being captured generally throws up any recently 

 indigested food, and some timid snakes must not be disturbed after 

 their meals lest their digestion be deranged in a similar way. 



