376 
NOTES TO THE 
the celebrated statue of tlie Laocoon, and, if I recollect riglit, tlie 
marble cnildren in tlie statue are represented as about tlie same 
age and size as Mr. Mann's two children. " Cleo " is a particular 
favourite of Mrs. Mann's, and I saw a very nice photograph of 
her, with " Cleo " coiled round her neck. I subsequently saw 
Mrs. Mann in this attitude, with her pet snake. Cleo," has 
shed her skin several times, and it is curious to remark that she 
has shed her skin ten times in two years. Mr. Mann has the 
last skin shed. It is quite perfect, and as thin as tissue paper, 
and I should tliink would make good pattern for fancy lace 
work. 
" Cleo " feeds principally on pigeons. If a pigeon is put into 
her cage, and she is not hungry, she seems to make friends with 
the pigeon, and will never attempt to eat it. Should, however, 
a fresh pigeon be put into her cage, she will devour it instantly. 
She feeds once a fortnight, and two pigeons will about last her 
for this time. Mr. Mann has observed that when let loose 
" Cleo " always tries to climb upw^ards, whereas the Lacertine 
always seeks the ground. " Cleo " most certainly knows her 
master and mistress. Once, when they went out of town, " Cleo " 
was sent away. She pined and w^ould not feed during their 
absence. When Mr. and Mrs. Mann returned, after six weeks' 
absence, " Cleo," on heading her mistress's voice, instantly 
rushed out of her box, curled herself round her, and kissed her 
face. She evidently recognised her kind friends and protectois. 
Mr. Mann has also a large Indian python, but this snake is 
Eot very well, and has private apartments to itself in a leather 
carpet-bag. The snakes will feed out of Mr. Mann's hand. The 
common snakes eat frogs, and frogs only ; the Lacertine eats 
white mice ; the python delights in guinea-pigs. Altogether I 
was exceedingly pleased with Mr. Mann's collection of snakes. 
By his very successful snake-taming he has opened up quite a 
new chapter in natural history, and has shown what persevering 
kindness will do in taming snakes, poor creatures which have 
hitherto been thought to have little or no intelligence. 
Song Thrush, p. 90— This bird ''forms its nest of dry grass 
firmly agglomerated with clay, to which rotten wood or cow-dung 
is often added. The nest differs from that of most birds in being 
hard and firm inside. A well-made nest of this bird's will hold 
water, and the boughs on which it is placed often sprout. The 
eggs of the song thrush are of a fine blue, with perhaps a slight 
tinge of green. They vary greatly in size. They are generally 
marked with black sjDots, but I have four eggs marked witli 
ochre spots. A zone of spots is rare in this species, as in all the 
