534 On the-** Indian Boa" " Python Tigris " [July, 



The fore leg of the rabbit where the snake had seized him, was 

 covered with mucus, but only there. 



The monster now with a slow and frightful expanding of the jaws, 

 took in the rabbit's nose, and then proceeded with gradually increas- 

 ing distention of his mouth and the skin of the throat beneath, to 

 suck in his prey*. 



The chief difficulty seems to lie, in getting the head cleverly into 

 the throat, which done the rest of the body soon follows, and having 

 passed the jaws and fairly entered the gullet it may be traced quickly 

 gliding down the lengthy brute until it arrives at the stomach. 



Having thus far succeeded, the next effort is to reduce his dislo- 

 cated jaws to their proper position, which is done apparently with 

 some little trouble, by yawning and shoving them about in all possi- 

 ble shapes, until the end in view is accomplished. He then slowly 

 retires to his retreat and remains quietly coiled up to digest his 

 meals. 



If the prey offered be small, I have known them not only to feed 

 for two or three successive days, but even more than once on the 

 same day. 



On another occasion I supplied the same snake with a large 

 " Gohf," expecting to see the monster puzzled by so ugly a customer 

 as the lizard was reported to be ; his claws were tremendous, and as 

 his head was nearly as large as that of the snake, I expected him to 

 show fight. He had no more chance than the poor rabbit ! 



The Boa lay as usual coiled up in one corner of his cage, and when 

 I opened the door to introduce the lizard, the poor animal was so re- 

 joiced to escape from me, that without heeding where it went, it ran 

 and perched itself on the top of the snake. 



The Boa apparently conscious of the sharpness of the " Goh's" 

 claws, remained quite still, but evidently kept his savage eyes fixed 

 on his intended victim. 



The Goh at length left his position and retreated to the farther end 

 of the cage, as if he had at last discovered himself to be placed in an 

 awkward situation. 



The snake widened his folds and prepared to spring, and at the 

 same time the Goh faced him, so that I really thought a fight would 



* The manner of taking in the prey, appears to me almost incapable of a true 

 description. — The frightful distending of the jaws and throat cannot be fully 

 conceived, by those who have not witnessed it. The snake with mouth wide 

 open, seems to draw himself over the prey, in the same manner as a stocking 

 slips on the leg ! 



t A species of monitor ? 



