SWALLOWING OF A GOAT. 
47 
and silently along the ground, and so exactly harmonised in colour 
with the soil * over which he was passing, that unless watched, he 
might easily have been overlooked. Whilst at full length, he might 
be approached with safety, as he had not then the power of darting ; 
but when he reared himself on his folds, and put his head into a vibrar- 
tory motion, he had the greatest command of his powers, and exhibited 
the most threatening aspect. This attitude he usually assumed after 
he had been some time from his cage, and all who were near him invo- 
luntarily drew back. A live duck being brought to him, he felt it for 
a moment with his forked tongue, and then seizing it by the breast, 
endeavoured to wind his folds about its body, which being too small 
to suffer from their compression, he threw the weight of one of his 
folds upon its neck, and strangled it. When it was dead, he gra- 
dually withdrew himself, and taking it head foremost into his mouth, 
sucked it down his throat. But a duck was only a mouthful to him ; 
a goat being his usual meal. On board the Cassar he swallowed 
two, which were given to him in his cage, at the interval of a 
month from each other. As soon as the goat was within his reach, 
he raised his head above his coils, and having contemplated his prey 
a few seconds, felt it with his tongue. The goat did not appear to be 
much alarmed, as he examined the snake closely, smelling him over 
with great deliberation. The snake having withdrawn his head a 
short distance, made a sudden dart at the throat of the goat, which 
received him on its horns, and obliged him for an instant to retreat. 
He then made a second dart, and seizing the goat by the leg, pulled it 
violently down, and insinuated his folds with momentary rapidity 
about its body, squeezing it at the same time with all the force he 
could bring to bear. But even in this instance, the animal was too 
small to suffer their whole compressing effect, and he was obliged to 
* An author has stated, that eighteen Spaniards, when in the woods of Coro, in 
the province of Venezuela, seated themselves on a snake, which they mistook for an old 
trunk of a tree, and which to their great astonishment began to move ! ! ! Hist. Natur 
de l’Orenoque, par le P. Gumilla, Vol. iii. p. 77* 
