192 THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 
and occurs with local modifications as far east 
and south as Natal. In the latter country 
it is most familiarly known as the Natal 
Rock-snake. 
Some rather singular incidents have been 
recorded illustrating the tenacity with which 
pythons retain hold of the quarry once seized, 
or, more correctly, their inability to release 
it. At the Adelaide Zoological Gardens a 
specimen, when absorbing a rabbit, managed 
to entangle its teeth in a corner of its 
blanket. That blanket had to follow the 
rodent through the 1 2-foot-long python. On 
another occasion two pythons, a Queenslander 
and Afrikander, happened at the same instant 
to commandeer respectively the head and 
hindquarters of an identical rabbit. Inch by 
inch the portion between the two grew smaller 
until the two noses met. There was no 
retreating from this impasse, and the mo- 
mentous question, “ Shall I slay my brother 
boa?” had to be settled affirmatively by one 
or other of the interested parties without 
further parley, d'he somewhat smaller and 
weaker individual was gradually telescoped, 
and in due time assimilated. The absorber 
was decidedly poorly and “ off colour ” for a 
considerable period after accomplishing this 
cannibalistic feat ; it ultimately recovered both 
its appetite and its prismatic tints. 
The True Boas, as distinguished from 
the Pythons, are more essentially arboreal in 
their habits, and, with the exception of one or 
two species found in Madagascar, belong to 
the tropical American zoological region. The 
Common Boa, or Boa-constrictor, which 
attains to a length of 12 or 14 feet or more, 
is limited in its distribution to South America. 
The colours of this snake, which consist 
mainly of a light brown, with a number of 
dark brown cross-bars on the back, and light 
centred, dark brown spots on the sides, 
so nearly agree with the tint of the 
tree-branches with their interlacing shadows, among which it usually lies concealed, that, 
notwithstanding its large size, it readily evades detection, and is unconscious!}' approached by 
the animals on which it preys. These, in adult individuals, may be represented by such 
large-sized quarry as dogs, and even deer; while smaller examples prey largely on birds and 
their eggs, and the numerous rodents with which the tropical American forests teem. From 
observations made upon this species in captivity, it would appear that the eggs are usually 
hatched within the parent’s body, though an instance has been recorded in which both eggs 
ana young were produced simultaneously. 
A close ally of the typical boas, which shares with them a tropical South American 
photo by Mr. IV. Rau] [Philadelphia 
A GROUP OF GARTER-SNAKES 
A common species luhich collects together in great numbers 
