THE ANACONDA. 59 



size is a well-established fact. Shaw mentions a skin in the British 

 Museum, in one of his lectures, which measured thirty-five feet in 

 length. 



Three other species — the Lamanda (B. diviniloqud), from Santa 

 Lucia ; the Emperor (B„ imperator), a native of Mexico ; and B. 

 eques, the Chevalier Boa of Peru — are all to be occasionally seen 

 in the Zoological Gardens. 



The Boa anaconda, more properly Eunectes murinus (Fig. 16), is 

 also a native of tropical America. The name of Anaconda has be- 

 come well known through Mr. Lewis's celebrated tale so called, in 

 which its predatory habits are displayed in such a manner as to 

 enthral and fascinate the reader, as the author makes the reptile 

 fascinate its victim. The name, Mr. Bennett tells us, is of Cing- 

 halese origin, and is popularly applied to all very large serpents. 

 This species is of a brownish tint, with a double series of colours 

 extending from head to tail ; the sides are covered with annular spots 

 with white discs surrounded by blackish rings. Seba has represented 

 this creature lying in wait for mice ; but this is probably the prey of 

 the young Anaconda. Another provincial name, " El Troga Venado " 

 (the deer swallower), is probably applied to the matured reptile. 



The following description of the actions of one of these large 

 non-venomous serpents, which accompanied a specimen sent to 

 the United Service Museum, by Sir Robert Ker Porter., is probably 

 a fair description of the habits of all the large Fytho?iidce. : — " This 

 species is not venomous, nor is it known to injure man (at least 

 not in this part of the New World) ; however, the natives of the plain 

 stand in great fear of it, never bathing in waters where it is known to 

 exist. Its common haunt, or rather domicile, is invariably near 

 lakes, swamps, and rivers ; likewise close to wet ravines produced by 

 inundations of the periodical rains. Animals which repair there to 

 drink, and even fishes, are its prey. The creature lurks watchfully 

 under cover of the water, and, while the unsuspecting animal is 

 satisfying its thirst, suddenly makes a dash at its nose, and with a 

 grip of its back-reclining range of teeth, never fails to secure the 

 terrified beast. In an instant the sluggish waters are in turbulence 

 and foam. The whole form of the serpent is in motion ; its huge 

 and rapid coilings soon encircle the struggling victim, and but a short 

 interval elapses ere every bone in the body of the expiring prey is 

 broken." Sir Robert then describes the manner in which the prey is 

 swallowed, being previously lubricated by the serpent's saliva ; but 

 Professor T. Bell, after carefully watching the constricting serpent's 

 mode of swallowing its prey, asserts that this is a delusion. " The 



