A Visit to the Python in the Zoological Gardens. 123 



expressing regret that the costly nature of these investigations 

 has alone prevented their further prosecution. 



Those who desire to know what has been doing in other 

 lands towards the elucidation of this important subject should, 

 in particular, consult the Treatise De la Reproduction chez les 

 Trematodes endo-parasites, par J. J. Moulinie. Extrait du tome 

 III. des Memoires de VInstitut Genevois ; and also the excel- 

 lent helminthological memoir by Dr. H. A. Pagenstecher, of 

 Heidelberg, entitled Trematodenlarven und Trematoden, at 

 the close of which latter the author appends a note referring to 

 the above-mentioned work, finally adding, " We are encou- 

 raged again to take up our hitherto fruitless searchings among 

 land-snails, and we hope, with M. Moulinie, that the next steps 

 in this direction will clear up the history of the development of 

 Distoma hepaticum. ,} In this desire the writer heartily con- 

 curs, regretting only, for the reasons previously stated, that 

 . his brother- workers on the Continent should deprive the fair 

 fluke of its proper generic name. 



A VISIT TO THE PYTHON IN THE ZOOLOGICAL 



GARDENS. 



BY SHIELET HIBBEED. 



Duejng the past six weeks the number of visitors to the Zoolo- 

 gical Gardens has been considerably augmented by the announce- 

 ment that the large Python might be seen "incubating her 

 eggs. - " On the 13th of February I had the pleasure of wit- 

 nessing the novel spectacle, in the company of a few friends, and 

 the event furnishes a proper opportunity for placing on record 

 a few particulars of the addition thus made to our knowledge of 

 herpetology. Previous to 1849, so we learn from Dr. Sclater's 

 " Guide to the Gardens," " no attempt had been made in this 

 country to exhibit the class of reptiles under conditions which 

 might make it possible to understand anything of their habits.-" 

 The attempt then made has been eminently successful, and 

 many disputed points in the history of the Eeptilia have been 

 settled by the opportunities which the Society's collection has 

 afforded for observation, inquiry into the habits, and specific 

 distinctions of those representatives of the class which have been 

 domesticated in the gardens. There are two structures devoted 

 to them, No. 49, the reptile-house, and No. 50, the python- 

 house. In these warm houses the reptiles are exhibited in a 

 way to ensure perfect safety to visitors and perfect freedom, 



