TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



put into a boa's case, the snake glides towards it and 

 when quite close it will investigate it. Then, apparently 

 satisfied that all is right, it will retract its neck and 

 suddenly dart forward, usually catching the animal by 

 the side of its head or neck, and a combined movement 

 follows, the snake draws its prey towards it and throws 

 a coil or two of its body round the luckless animal. 

 Should it struggle vigorously, additional coils are 

 brought into play, and it is held until dead, a matter 

 of two or three minutes. I do not think there can be 

 much, if any, pain as asphyxia sets in rapidly. It is 

 often said that a python pours saliva over its victim 

 before swallowing it, this I have never observed. The 

 animal when dead is released in order to be swallowed 

 head first, but no saliva is poured over it. Another 

 point often brought forward is the supposed fascination 

 and terror of the animals used for feeding these snakes. 

 There is no such thing. Whether the intended food is 

 rat, rabbit, or bird, no signs of fear are shown, but on 

 the contrary the victim will placidly feed in close 

 proximity to the snake. 



The Pythoninae, as a group, are most interesting, 

 and become very docile in a short while. The common 

 boa (B. constrictor) is a frequently kept species, as it is 

 one of the handsomest and also one of the hardiest of 

 them all. It will readily take mice, birds, rats, or 

 rabbits, according to its size. It is very inquisitive 

 and will examine its surroundings or a stranger 

 minutely; it is somewhat nervous, but soon gets to know 

 its attendant. A rather remarkable fact in its economy 

 — at least in specimens up to six or eight feet — is the 

 apparent absorption of all the lime taken in the bodies 

 of its victims. I mention this matter with some reserve, 

 although I have failed — spectroscopically — to detect lime 



