The step from the small worm-like Blind-snakes, with their functionless eyes and underground habits, to the Boas and Pythons, the largest and most highly organised members of the Serpent Tribe, would seem at first sight to be altogether unwarranted. In one essential character, however, they agree very remarkably. In both groups the bony skeleton exhibits a far more generalised structural plan than in any of the succeeding ones, so that they may be regarded as more nearly resembling the primitive stock from which the other more specialised kinds such as the Vipers, with their death-dealing poison-fangs have been evolved.

The PYTHONS and BOAS, or BOA-CONSTRICTORS, as they are popularly known, belong entirely to the non-venomous section of the Snake series. The teeth, forming two rows in the upper jaws, gradually decrease in size from before backwards, and none of them are grooved or modified in the form of poison-fangs. The body is usually more or less compressed, and the

Snakes 589

tail prehensile. The TYPICAL PYTHONS, or ROCK-SNAKES, as they are called, with reference to their rock-frequenting habits, are distributed throughout South-eastern Asia, Australia, and Central and South Africa.

The INDIAN PYTHON,

which is the largest Old World representative of its race, is known authentically

Photo by D. Le Soucf] [Melbourne. CARPET-SNAKE. to attain to a length of

So called with reference to the variegated carpet-like pattern of its skin-ornamentation. 30 feet, and in the largest specimens the spinal column may include over 400 vertebrae. In common with other members of its family, this huge snake kills its quarry by compression or strangulation, throwing around it successive coils of its body, which, with their contraction, crush out the life of the victim. The dispatched prey is then swallowed whole, commencing with the head. The previous crushing of the bony framework greatly assists the swallowing process, which is further aided by the snake pouring over the body of its victim a copious discharge of saliva.

The extent to which the jaws and the integument of the body generally can be distended for the passage and reception of the food is remarkable. After partaking of a solid meal in this fashion, pythons remain sluggish and in a state of semi-torpor for several days, not reawakening to active life, in fact, until the digestion of the food has been accomplished. As is well known, these and other snakes can exist for periods of many months' duration between their meals. One of the largest Indian pythons by no means contents itself with such small quarry as hares and rabbits sheep, young calves, and some of the smaller deer representing its more accustomed food. The human species unarmed is as weak or weaker than the proverbial kitten, pitted against the hydraulic-press-like embrace of these monster serpents; and many an Indian native, and more rarely the white man, has fallen a victim to their attacks.

The RETICULATED PYTHON, so called on account of the bold reticulated pattern of the skin-ornamentation, may equal, if not exceed, the Indian species in dimensions. It is a native of Burma, Siam, and the Malay region generally, and is recorded as occasionally exceeding 30 feet in length. Examples of this species, including one over 20 feet long, have constituted leading attractions at the Reptile-house in the Zoological Society's Gardens for many years past. The gorgeous prismatic tints that play upon the surface-markings of the coils of these huge snakes, as the sun strikes upon them about midday in their cages, form one of the most wonderful sights that the Gardens afford. The African Continent also produces its large species of ofpythons. One these, attaining to a length of 20 feet or Photo by H. G. F. Spurrell, Esq.'] [Eastbourne. more, reaches its maxi- JESCTJLAPIAN SNAKE. with tree-climbing habits.mum on the west coast, A South European species

The Living Animals of the World590

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 12-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 momentous question, "Shall I slay my brother boa? " had to be settled affirmatively by one or other of the interested parties without further parley. The 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

Photo by Mr. 1C. Rau] {Philadelphia. dark brown cross-bars on the back, and light A GROUP OF GARTER-SNAKES. centred, dark brown spots on the sides,

An American species which collects together in great numbers. so nearly agree with the tint of the it usually lies concealed, that, tree-branches with their interlacing shadows, among which notwithstanding its large size, it readily evades detection, and is unconsciously 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 and young were produced simultaneously.

A close ally of the typical boas, which shares with them a tropical South American

Snakes 591 habitat, is the huge ANACONDA, or WATER-BOA, of Brazil and the adjacent countries. This animal, which is undoubtedly the largest living representative of the Serpent Tribe, attains a length little, if any, short of 40 feet. One such monster was specially referred to by Dr. Gardiner, the botanist, in his " Travels in Brazil "; it had devoured a horse, and was found dead, entangled in the branches of a tree overhanging a river, into which it had been carried by a flood. Full-grown cattle, and occasionally human beings, as well as horses, are alleged to fall victims to the destruc- Photo by II. G.!'. SpurrM,.iq.] [Eastbourne. tive prowess of this gigantic snake. LEOPARD-SNAKE. The anaconda is essentially amphibious A harmless and beautifully marked species inhabiting Italy and Sicily. in its habits, the greater part of its life being spent in the water, lying in wait, in the quiet lagoons and backwaters, with only its head above the surface, and prepared to seize any unfortunate animal which may come to the brink to drink. At other times it will coil itself upon the trunks and larger branches of the adjacent trees, and from that point of vantage will dart down its head, with sure aim and lightning rapidity, to seize any suitable quarry which may pass beneath. In some parts of South America where the rivers dry up at certain seasons of the year, the anaconda is recorded after the manner ofto be in the habit of burying itself in the mud and lying torpid, is usually greyishcrocodiles, until the return of the rains. The ground-colour of the anaconda brown or olive above, the back being ornamented with one or two transversely disposed rows of large, rounded, dark brown or blackish spots, while the sides are decorated with more irregularly scattered, smaller, eye-like spots, having whitish centres and dark margins.

An interesting little group, connecting the Boas and Pythons with the Common Snakes, is that of the so-called SHIELD-TAILS, or EARTH- SNAKES, of India and Ceylon. These reptiles are earth-burrowers, like the Blind-snakes, previously referred to, but have well-developed eyes, and are further distinguished by the abruptly truncated contour of their posterior extremity, which may be either a naked disk or covered with keeled scales. Their bodies are cylindrical, with the scaly covering very smooth and polished, the scales of the undersurface being but little larger than the upper ones; the jaws, in conformity with the peculiar modification of their skull, are not capable of wide distension. Seven genera and a large number of species are recognised, some by H. G. F. Spwnll, Esq.] [Eastbourne.being brilliantly coloured with tints Photo of red or yellow. Their main diet is TESSELATED SNAKE. earth-worms. A European species, similar in size and habits to the British ringed snake, but more

The family of the COMMON SNAKES handsomely marked.

of the World 592 The Living Animals

includes the greater number of species, the majority of the most venomous as well as harmless varieties being comprised within its limits. The characters that are made the basis for separating these snakes from the Boas are associated with the structure of the skull, and are not therefore readily recognised without having recourse to dissection. It will suffice to mention that, in this and the remaining groups, there is an entire absence from the lower jaw of the is present in the Boas and slender supplementary bone known as the " coronoid," which Pythons. From succeeding groups, such as the Viperine series, they are distinguished by the circumstance that the upper jaw is firmly fixed in a horizontal position, and is not capable of erection in a vertical plane, or like the lid of a box, as obtains with the Vipers.

These snakes are separated into secondary groups with relation to the structure of their teeth. In one series these teeth are solid throughout, neither grooved nor tubular; and all the snakes thus characterised are harmless. In the second series one or more pairs of the

By permission of the Kew York Zoological Society. PIXE-SNAKE. A tree-haunting American species with very bold markings.

hinder upper teeth are longitudinally grooved, and act as poison-fangs; they are consequently series the front teeth of the upperdistinguished as the " back-fanged " group. In the third front -jaw-bone are grooved, and constitute the poison-fangs, and they are known as the " " fanged group. To the first-mentioned solid-toothed and harmless division of the family belongs the BRITISH KINGED SNAKE and some forty other allied species which are collectively known as WATER-SNAKES, with reference to their more or less pronounced aquatic habits. The ringed snake has a stoutish cylindrical body, keeled scales, flat head covered with regular shields, wide mouth-cleft, and numerous teeth, the strongest of which are at the hinder end of the jaw-bone. The colour varies somewhat, being usually grey, brown, or olive above, with darker spots or narrow transverse bands; the under-surface is mottled black and white or grey. The lip-shields are white or yellowish, with black dividing-lines. The neck in the ordinary variety is usually ornamented with a yellow, white, or orange collar-like patch,

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