172 



CHAPTER XIII. 



THE PYTHON. — VULTURE PERFORMANCES. — BOA CRUSHING 



A ROEBUCK. FIGHT BETWEEN SNAKES.' HABITS OF 



THE RATTLESNAKE.. — ANECDOTES OF RATTLESNAKES. 



THE CORAL SNAKE. A CORAL AND KITTEN. — THE 



IGUANA. 



QENTRAL AMERICA actually swarms 

 with snakes of every size and almost every 

 description. Some very venomous species, 

 such as the Cobra capella and others of the 

 East, are unknown here, but they would be 

 well matched by the Campanilla (rattlesnake), 

 and, still more deadly, the Coral. The Indians 

 consider the rattlesnake as the only viviparous 

 one in the country, but there must be others, 

 as there are many sorts of vipers. 



The two commonest sorts are the Bom or 

 boa-constrictor, and the black snake, but the 

 boa is found much oftener than any other 

 species. Near towns and woodlands much 

 frequented, they are seldom found more than 

 six or seven feet in length, and never thicker 

 than a man's arm ; they are found of all sizes 

 less than that, down to a few inches ; but go 



