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Marvels of the Universe 



lllij Theo. Carrems. 



IHE SUCKING FISH. 



Showing the method of its attachment to the belly of a shark. The sucker is so formed that no amount of pulling back- 

 wards will detach the creature — this prevents the " wash " of the larger fish breaking its hold — while the slightest jerk forward 

 sets it free. The fish is thus provided with means for quickly chasing its prey. 



THE PYTHON AND ITS PREY 



BY SIR H.\RRY JOHNSTON, G.C.M.G. 



Our interesting pliotograpli represents an enormous Python wliich has just swallowed a goat 

 weighing fifty-two pounds. The horns of the dead goat were removed before the carcass was thrown 

 into the reptile's den. This was done as an experiment, for it was scarcely believed that the Python 

 in question would be able to swallow such a large morsel, although seven days previously he had 

 in the course of four or five hours swallowed a sinaller goat of twenty-one pounds and a small deer of 

 forty-three pounds, only a short time elapsing between the two efforts. In the case of the fifty-two 

 pound goat, the Python attacked it without hesitation, and had half swallowed it before the photo- 

 grapher arrived ; but he had to make considerable efforts, nevertheless, to get it down, and from 

 time to time emitted deep groans. 



Pythons, and their near allies, the Boas of South America (the range of the Old- World Pythons 

 extends from Africa to the Malay Archipelago), are without poison-glands, and their structui"e is 

 slightly more primitive than that of poisonous snakes ; for the}' possess minute vestiges of hind 

 legs, observable externally in the form of two claws near the vent. They dart at their prey open- 

 mouthed, and usually seize it bj' the head with their strong, sharp teeth. Immediately afterwards 

 they coil their strong body round and round their victim, using the tail as a fulcrum and attempting 

 to crush the creature they have seized into a sausage shape. As soon as the Python believes his 

 victim to be dead, he commences the process of swallowing, which is almost mechanical, and once 

 having been begun cannot be stopped. The jaws distend like an indiarubber bag to an extent 

 which seems well-nigh incredible. Mr. Hagenbeck, to whom we are indebted for the photograph, 

 states that he has seen a python swallow a goat which weighed ninety-three pounds in the course 

 of an hour and a half. 



THE SUCKING FISH 



BY FRANK T. BULLEN. 



From a sociological point of view, the study of the Remora is full of intense interest. For here we 

 have a creature that to all outward appearance is fully equipped for the battle of life, in no way 



