1847.] 



Indian Boa or Rock Snake, 



77 



molars in the back of his head being only to crunch and grind 

 bones. From the depth of the sockets in which the condyles are 

 placed, a lateraF notion is impossible, whereas in the ruminating ani- 

 mals, its shallowness enables them to use the lower jaw laterally as 

 well as perpendicularly. In the Python however, beyond the act of 

 holding its prey, the jaws are not of any use and consequently nature 

 has only provided them with a structure to answer that end already 

 noticed in the recurved form of the teeth. Dislocation takes place 

 as gradually as the increasing size of the prey renders distension 

 necessary; the lower jaw hanging at length quite loose and discon- 

 nected from the upper. 



It is an erroneous idea though a very prevalent one that the snake 

 covers the whole of its victim with saliva from the tongue before 

 swallowing it. A single glance at the structure of the tongue of any 

 reptile would at once prove the absurdity of this notion, that organ 

 being of a very long and slender form, wholly unadapted for either 

 licking or tasting. The glands that generate the sahva are only called 

 into action when the animal has begun to swallow. The mucus then 

 secreted naturally assists deglutition to a great degree but it is never 

 poured forth till the animal actually begins to swallow. To prevent 

 suffocation while forcing the body down the oesophagus, two small 

 muscles, attached to the lower jaw and also to the trachea have been 

 discovered which can bring forward the larynx nearly to the mouth, 

 which would enable any one to observe the larynx opening and shut- 

 ting while deglutition is proceeding. After the entire animal is 

 swallowed, a kind of lethargy pervades the system of the snake and 

 he then may be safely approached. Of this the natives are well 

 aware and attack him in consequence without fear. Such are a few 

 of the habits of this monster reptile. Much information regarding it 

 is yet required which could easily be gained by persons living in the 

 neighbourhood of large jungles where it always arrives at the great- 

 est size, while a few notes concerning the dimensions of specimens 

 killed, made upon the spot, w^ould go further towards our knowledge 

 of the sizes arrived at, than all the vague conjectures or hearsay re- 

 ports often so freely circulated without any foundation. 



