snakes.
first impression of a tropical forest—exaggerated fears—comparative rareness of venomous snakes—their habits and external characters—anecdote of the prince of neu wied—the bite of the trigonocephalus—antidotes—fangs of the venomous snakes described—the bush-master—the echidna ocellata—the rattlesnakes—extirpated by hogs—the cobra de capello—indian snake-charmers—maritime excursions of the cobra—the egyptian haje—the cerastes—boas and pythons—the jiboya—the anaconda—enemies of the serpents—the secretary—the adjutant—the mongoos—a serpent swallowed by another—the locomotion of serpents—anatomy of their jaws—serpents feeding in the zoological gardens—domestication of the rat-snake—water-snakes.
on penetrating for the first time into a tropical forest, the traveller is moved by many conflicting emotions. this luxuriance of vegetation revelling in ever-changing forms, these giants of the woods clasped by the python-folds of enormous creepers, and bearing whole hosts of parasites on their knotty arms; this strange and unknown world of plants, harbouring in its impenetrable recesses a no less strange and unknown world of animals, all unite in filling the soul with pleasurable excitement; and yet the heart is, at the same time, chilled with293 vague fears, that mix like a discordant sound with the harmonies of this sylvan world. for in the hollows of the tangled roots and in the dense underwood of the forest a brood of noxious reptiles loves to conceal itself, and who knows whether a snake, armed with poisonous fangs, may not dart forth from the rustling foliage.
gradually, however, these reflections wear away, and time and experience convince one that the snakes in the tropical woods are hardly more to be feared than in the forests of germany or france, where also the viper will sometimes inflict a deadly wound. these reptiles are, indeed, far from being of so frequent occurrence as is generally believed; and on meeting with a snake, there is every probability of its belonging to the harmless species, which show themselves much more frequently by day, and are far more numerous. even in india and ceylon, where serpents are said to abound, they make their appearance so cautiously that the surprise of long residents is invariably expressed at their being so seldom seen.
sir e. tennent, who frequently performed journeys of two to five hundred miles through the jungle without seeing a single snake, never heard, during his long residence in ceylon, of the death of a european being caused by the bite of one of these reptiles; and in almost every instance accidents to the natives happened at night, when the animal, having been surprised or trodden on, had inflicted the wound in self-defence. thus, to avoid danger, the singhalese, when obliged to leave their houses in the dark, carry a stick with a loose ring, the noise of which, as they strike it on the ground, is sufficient to warn the snakes to leave their path.
during his five years’ travels through the whole breadth of tropical america, from the atlantic to the pacific, m. de castelnau, although ever on the search, collected no more than ninety-one serpents, of which only twenty-one were poisonous; a proof that they are not more frequently met with in the primitive forests of brazil than in the jungles of india or ceylon.
the habits of the venomous snakes, and the external characters by which they are distinguished from the harmless species, likewise tend to diminish the danger to be apprehended from them. thus, their head is generally flat, broad, lanceolate;294 they have an aperture or slit on each cheek, behind the nostrils, and an elongated vertical pupil like many other nocturnal animals.
they are also generally slower and more indolent in their motions, and thus are more easily avoided. no venomous snake will ever be found on a tree, and on quietly approaching one in the forest or in the savannah, it will most likely creep away without disputing the path, as it is not very anxious uselessly to squander the venom which nature gave it as the only means for procuring itself food.
‘there is not much danger in roving amongst snakes,’ says waterton, who, from spending many a month in tropical wilds, may justly be called an excellent authority, ‘provided only that you have self-command. you must never approach them abruptly; if so, you are sure to pay for your rashness; because the idea of self-defence is predominant in every animal, and thus the snake, to defend himself from what he considers an attack upon him, makes the intruder feel the deadly effect of his envenomed fangs. the labarri snake is very poisonous, yet i have often approached within two yards of him without fear. i took care to advance very softly and gently, without moving my arms, and he always allowed me to have a fine view of him, without showing the least inclination to make a spring at me. he would appear to keep his eye fixed on me, as though suspicious, but that was all. sometimes i have taken a stick ten feet long and placed it on the labarri’s back; he would then glide away without offering resistance. however, when i put the end of the stick abruptly to his head, he immediately opened his mouth, flew at it, and bit it.’ but although accidents from venomous snakes are comparatively rare, yet the consequences are dreadful when they do take place, and the sight of a cobra or a trigonocephalus preparing for its fatal spring may well appal the stoutest heart.
prince maximilian of neu wied, having wounded a tapir, was following the traces of his game along with his indian hunter, when suddenly his companion uttered a loud scream. he had come too near a labarri snake, and the dense thicket prevented his escape. fortunately the first glance of the distinguished naturalist fell upon the reptile, which with extended jaws and projecting fangs was ready to dart upon the indian,295 but at the same moment, struck by a ball from the prince’s rifle, lay writhing on the ground. the indian, though otherwise a strong-nerved man, was so paralysed by fear, that it was some time before he could recover his self-possession—a proof, among others, that it is superfluous to attribute a fascinating power to the venomous snakes, as the effects of terror are quite sufficient to explain why smaller animals, unable to flee the impending danger, become their unresisting victims, and even seem, as it were, wantonly to rush upon destruction. thus pöppig saw on the banks of the huallaga an unfortunate frog, which, after being for some time unable to move, at length made a desperate leap towards a large snake that was all the time fixing its eye upon it, and thus paid for the confusion of its senses with the loss of its life.
a poor indian girl that accompanied schomburgk on his travels through the forests of guiana was less fortunate than the prince of neu wied’s companion. she was bitten by a trigonocephalus, and it was dreadful to see how soon the powers of life began to ebb under the fatal effects of the poison. the wound was immediately sucked, and spirits of ammonia, the usual remedy, profusely applied both externally and inwardly, but all in vain. in less than three minutes, a convulsive trembling shook the whole body, the face assumed a cadaverous aspect, dreadful pains raged in the heart, in the back, less in the wound itself; the dissolved blood flowed from the ears and nose, or was spasmodically ejected by the stomach; the pulse rose to 120–130 in the minute; the paralysis which first benumbed the bitten foot spread farther and farther, and in less than eight minutes the unfortunate girl was no longer to be recognised. the same day the foot swelled to shapeless dimensions, and she lay senseless until, after an agony of sixty-three hours, death relieved her from her sufferings.
a great many antidotes have been recommended against serpentine poison, but their very number proves their inefficacy. one of the most famous is the juice of a peruvian climbing plant, the vejuco de huaco (mikania huaco, kunth), the remarkable properties of which were first discovered by a negro, who observed that when the huaco, a kind of hawk which chiefly feeds on snakes, has been bitten by one of them, it immediately flies to the vejuco and eats some of its leaves.
296 it is a well-known fact that serpentine poison may be swallowed with impunity; it shows its effects only on mixing directly with the blood. a tight ligature above the wound, along with sucking, burning, or cutting it out, are thus very rational remedies for preventing the rapid propagation of the venom. suction is, however, not always unattended with danger to the person who undertakes the friendly office. thus schomburgk relates the misfortunes of a poor indian, whose son had been bitten in the cheek. the father instantly sucked the wound, but a hollow tooth conveyed the poison into his own body. his cheek swelled under excruciating pains, and without being able to save his son, his own health and vigour were for ever lost. for such are the dreadful consequences of this poison, that they incurably trouble the fountains of life. the wound generally breaks open every year, emitting a very offensive odour, and causes dreadful pains at every change of the weather.
although all the venomous snakes produce morbid symptoms nearly similar, yet the strength of the poison varies according to the species of the serpent, and to the circumstances under which it is emitted. it is said to be most virulent during very hot weather, when the moon changes, or when the animal is about to cast its skin. the effects are naturally more powerful and rapid when a larger quantity of poison flows into the wound, and a snake with exhausted supplies from repeated bitings will evidently strike less fatally than another whose glands are inflated with poison after a long repose.
before describing some of the most conspicuous of the venomous serpents, a few words on the simple but admirable mechanism of their delicate but needle-like fangs will not be out of place. towards the point of the fang, which is invariably situated in the upper jaw, there is a little oblong aperture on the convex side of it, and through this there is a communication down the fang to the root, at which lies a little bag containing the poison. thus, when the point of the fang is pressed, the root of the fang also presses against the bag and sends up a portion of the poison it contains. the fangs being extremely movable, can be voluntarily depressed or elevated; and as from their brittleness they are very liable to break, nature, to provide for a loss that would be fatal, has added behind each of them297 smaller or subsidiary fangs ready to take their place in case of accident.
unrivalled in the display of every lovely colour of the rainbow, and unmatched in the effects of his deadly poison, the bush-master or counacutchi (lachesis rhombeata) glides on, sole monarch of the forests of guiana or brazil, as both man and beast fly before him. in size he surpasses most other venomous species, as he sometimes grows to the length of fourteen feet. generally concealed among the fallen leaves of the forest, he lives on small birds, reptiles, and mammalians, whom he is able to pursue with surprising activity. thus, schomburgk once saw an opossum rushing through the forest, and closely followed by an enormous bush-master. frightened to death and utterly exhausted, the panting animal ascended the stump of an old tree, and thence, as if rooted to the spot, looked with staring eyes on its enemy, who, rolled in a spiral coil, from which his head rose higher and higher, slowly and leisurely, as if conscious that his prey could not possibly escape him, prepared for his deadly spring. this time, however, the bush-master was mistaken, for a shot from schomburgk’s rifle laid him writhing in the dust, while the opossum, saved by a miracle, ran off as fast as he could. fortunately for the planter and negroes, the bush-master is a rare serpent, frequenting only the deepest shades of the thicket, where in the day-time he generally lies coiled upon the ground.
still rarer, though if possible yet more formidable, is a small brown viper (echidna ocellata), which infests the peruvian forests. its bite is said to be able to kill a strong man within two or three minutes. the indian, when bitten by it, does not even attempt an antidote against the poison, but stoically bids adieu to his comrades, and lays himself down to die.
the ill-famed wide-extended race of the rattlesnakes, which ranges from south brazil to canada, belongs exclusively to the new world. they prefer the more elevated, dry, and stony regions, where they lie coiled up in the thorny bushes, and only attack such animals as come too near their lair. their bite is said to be able to kill a horse or an ox in ten or twelve minutes; but, fortunately, they are afraid of man, and will not venture to attack him unless provoked. when roused to anger they are, however, very formidable, as their fangs penetrate through298 the strongest boot. one of the most remarkable features of their organisation is a kind of rattle terminating the tail, and consisting of a number of pieces inserted into each other, all alike in shape and size, hollow, and of a thin, elastic, brittle substance, like that of which the scales are externally formed. when provoked, the strong and rapid vibratory motions imparted to the rattle produce a sound which has been compared to that of knife-grinding, but is never loud enough to be heard at any distance, and becomes almost inaudible in rainy weather.
rattlesnake.
naturalists distinguish at least a dozen different species of rattlesnakes, the commonest of which are the boaquira (crotalus horridus), which frequents the warmest regions of south america, and the durissus (c. durissus), which has chosen the united states for its principal home. the chief enemy of this serpent is the hog, whom it dreads so much that on seeing one it immediately loses all its courage, and instantly takes to flight. but the hog, who smells it from afar, draws nearer and nearer, his bristles erected with excitement, seizes it by the neck, and devours it with great complacency, though without touching the head. as the hog is the invariable companion of the settler in the backwoods, the rattlesnake everywhere disappears before the advance of man, and it is to be hoped that a century or two hence it will be ranked among the extinct animals. the american indians often regale on the rattlesnake. when they find it asleep, they put a small forked stick over its neck, which they keep immovably fixed to the ground, giving the snake a stick to bite, and this they pull back several times with great force, until they perceive that the poison-fangs are torn out. they then cut off the head, skin the body, and cook it as we do eels. the flesh is said to be white and excellent.
none of the american snakes inhabit the old world, but in the east indies and ceylon other no less dangerous species appear upon the scene, among which the celebrated cobra de capello is one of the most deadly.
299 as long as it is in a quiet mood, its neck is nowhere thicker than its head or other parts; but as soon as it is excited, it raises vertically the anterior part of its trunk, and dilating the hood on each side of the neck, which is curiously marked in the centre in black and white, like a pair of spectacles, advances against the aggressor by the undulating motion of the tail. it is not only met with in the cultivated grounds and plantations, but will creep into the houses and insinuate itself among the furniture. bishop heber heard at patna of a lady who once lay a whole night with a cobra under her pillow. she repeatedly thought during the night that she felt something move, and in the morning when she snatched her pillow away, she saw the thick black throat, the square head, and the green diamond-like eyes of the reptile advanced within two inches of her neck. fortunately the snake was without malice; but alas for her if she had during the night pressed him a little too roughly.
this is the snake so frequently exhibited by the indian jugglers, who contrive by some unknown method to tame them so far as to perform certain movements in cadence, and to dance to the sound of music, with which the cobra seems much delighted, keeping time by a graceful motion of the head, erecting about half its length from the ground, and following the few simple notes of the conjuror’s flute with gentle curves like the undulating lines of a swan’s neck. it has been naturally supposed, before this could be done, that the poisonous fangs had been extracted; but forbes, the author of ‘oriental memoirs,’ had nearly been taught at his cost that this is not always practised. not doubting but that a cobra, which danced for an hour on the table while he painted it, had been disarmed of its fatal weapons, he frequently handled it to observe the beauty of the spots, and especially the spectacles on the hood. but the next morning his upper servant, who was a zealous mussulman, came to him in great haste and desired he would instantly retire and praise the almighty for his good fortune. not understanding his meaning, forbes told him that he had already performed his devotions, and had not so many stated prayers as the followers of his prophet. mahomet then informed him that while purchasing some fruit in the bazaar, he observed the man who had been with him on the300 preceding evening entertaining the country people with the dancing snakes; they, according to their usual custom, sat on the ground around him, when, either from the music stopping too suddenly or from some other cause irritating the snake which he had so often handled, it darted at the throat of a young woman, and inflicted a wound of which she died in about half an hour. that the snake-charmers control the cobra not by extracting its fangs, but by courageously availing themselves of its timidity and reluctance to use them, was also proved during sir e. tennent’s residence in ceylon by the death of one of these performers, whom his audience had provoked to attempt some unaccustomed familiarity with the cobra; it bit him on the wrist, and he expired the same evening.
the deserted nests of the termites are the favourite retreat of the sluggish and spiritless cobra, which watches from their apertures the toads and lizards on which it preys. on coming upon it, its only impulse is concealment; and when it is unable to escape, a few blows from a whip are sufficient to deprive it of life.
it is a curious fact that, though not a water-snake, the cobra sometimes takes considerable excursions by sea. when the ‘wellington,’ a government vessel employed in the inspection of the ceylonese pearl-banks, was anchored about a quarter of a mile from land, a cobra was seen, about an hour before sunset, swimming vigorously towards the ship. it came within twelve yards, when the sailors assailed it with billets of wood and other missiles, and forced it to return to land.
the egyptian haje (naja haje), a near relation of the indian cobra, is probably the asp of ancient authors, which queen cleopatra chose as the instrument of her death, to avoid figuring in the triumph of augustus. like the cobra, it inflates its neck when in a state of excitement, and as it raises its head on being approached, as if watchful for its safety, it was venerated by the ancient egyptians as a symbol of divinity, and as the faithful guardian of their fields. divine honours have, however, much more frequently been paid to the venomous snakes from the terror they inspire, than from far-fetched notions of beneficence. several indian tribes in north america adore the rattlesnake; and in the kingdom of widah, on the coast of guinea, a viper has its temple and ministers,301 and is no less carefully provided for than if it were an inmate of the zoological gardens.
the cerastes, or horned viper, one of the most deadly serpents of the african deserts, is frequently exhibited by egyptian jugglers, who handle and irritate it with impunity: they are supposed to render themselves invulnerable by the chewing of a certain root, but most likely, as in the case of the cobra-charmers, their secret consists in their courage and perfect knowledge of the animal’s nature.
although the boas and pythons are unprovided with venomous fangs, yet, from their enormous size, they may well be ranked among the deadly snakes; for, as waterton justly remarks, ‘it comes nearly to the same thing in the end whether the victim dies by poison from the fangs, which corrupts his blood, or whether his body be crushed to mummy and swallowed by a python.’
the kingly jiboya (boa constrictor) inhabits the dry and sultry localities of the brazilian forests, where he generally conceals himself in crevices and hollows in parts but little frequented by man, and sometimes attains a length of thirty feet. to catch his prey he ascends the trees, and lurks, hidden in the foliage, for the unfortunate agutis, pacas, and capybaras, whom their unlucky star may lead within his reach. when full-grown he seizes the passing deer; but, in spite of his large size, he is but little feared by the natives, as a single blow of a cudgel suffices to kill him. prince maximilian of neu wied tells us that the experienced hunter laughs when asked whether the jiboya attacks and devours man.
the sucuriaba, anaconda, or water boa (eunectes murinus), as it is variously named, abounds in the swampy lowlands of tropical america, where it attains so enormous a size that, according to trustworthy witnesses,25 monsters more than sixty feet long are sometimes seen slowly crawling through the submerged groves of the buriti palm. while lazily stretched out in the grass, it might easily be mistaken for the prostrate trunk of one of these noble trees. it passes most of its time, however, on the water, now reposing on a sand-bank with only its head above the surface of the stream, now rapidly swimming302 like an eel, or abandoning itself to the current of the river. often, also, it suns itself on the sandy margin of the stream, or patiently awaits its prey, stretched out upon some rock or fallen tree. with sharp eye it observes all that swims in the waters, as well as all that flies over them, or all that comes to the banks to drink; neither fish nor aquatic bird is secure from its rapid assault, and woe to the capybara that comes within its grasp.
when preparing for an attack, it attaches itself with its tail to a tree or rock, and then suddenly darts its prodigious length upon its prey, the bones of which it breaks in its resistless folds before slowly swallowing it. a large snake will thus engulph a horse and its rider, or a whole ox as far as the horns, which eventually separate from the putrefying body. even water-boas of a smaller size are able to swallow enormous masses; a deer and two pecaris were found in the stomach of one forty feet long. the chase of these hideous reptiles is not dangerous, for they are slow and cowardly, and a wound in the spine soon renders them stiff and unable to move. their flesh is unfit to be eaten, but their fat is considered a remedy for consumption, and their tanned skin makes excellent coverings for saddles.
the boas principally inhabit america, although some species are likewise met with in asia; but the still more formidable pythons are confined to the hot regions of the old world. they are said to enlace even the tiger or the lion in their fatal embrace, and, to judge by their size and strength, this assertion seems by no means improbable.
secretary bird.
the various serpent tribes are exposed to the attacks of many enemies, who fortunately keep their numbers within salutary bounds, and avenge the death of the countless insects, worms, toads, frogs, and lizards, that fall a prey to their strength or their venom. several species of rapacious and aquatic birds live upon snakes, the american ostrich thins their ranks whenever he can, and the african secretary is renowned for his prowess in serpentine warfare.
‘the battle was obstinate,’ says le vaillant, describing one303 of these conflicts, ‘and conducted with equal address on both sides. the serpent, feeling the inferiority of his strength, in his attempt to flee, and regain his hole, employed that cunning which is ascribed to him, while the bird, guessing his design, suddenly stopped him, and cut off his retreat by placing herself before him at a single leap. on whatever side the reptile endeavoured to make its escape, his enemy was still found before him. then, uniting at once bravery and cunning, he erected himself boldly to intimidate the bird, and hissing dreadfully, displayed his menacing throat, inflamed eyes, and a head swelled with rage and venom. sometimes this threatening appearance produced a momentary suspension of hostilities, but the bird soon returned to the charge, and covering her body with one of her wings as a buckler, struck her enemy with the horny protuberances upon the other, which, like little clubs, served the more effectually to knock him down as he raised himself to the blow; at last he staggered and fell, the conqueror then despatched him, and with one stroke of her bill laid open his skull.’
the secretary-eagle has now been successfully acclimatised in the west indies, where he renders himself useful by the destruction of the venomous snakes with which the plantations are infested.
adjutant.
gravely, ‘with measured step and slow,’ like a german philosopher cogitating over the nature of the absolute, but, as we shall presently see, much more profitably engaged, the adjutant wanders among the reeds on the banks of the muddy ganges. the aspect of this colossal bird, measuring six feet in height and nearly fifteen from tip to tip of the wings, is far from being comely, as his enormous bill, his naked head and neck, except a few straggling curled hairs, his large craw hanging down the forepart of the neck like a pouch, and his long naked legs, are certainly no features of beauty. suddenly he stops, dips his bill among the aquatic plants, and immediately raises it again triumphantly into the air, for a long snake, despairingly304 twisting and wriggling, strives vainly to escape from the formidable pincers which hold it in carcere duro. the bird throws back his head, and the reptile appears notably diminished in size; a few more gulps and it has entirely disappeared. and now the sedate bird continues his stately promenade with the self-satisfied mien of a merchant who has just made a successful speculation, and is engaged in the agreeable calculation of his gains. but, lo! again the monstrous bill descends, and the same scene is again repeated. the good services of the giant heron in clearing the land of noxious reptiles, and the havoc he is able to make among their ranks, may be judged of by the simple fact, that, on opening the body of one of them, a land-tortoise ten inches long and a large black cat were found entire within it, the former in the pouch, as a kind of stock in trade, the latter in the stomach, all ready for immediate consumption.
the marabou storks, though so intensely ugly, furnish in their superb white and downy plumes, which grow under their wings, a highly prized ornament of beauty. to procure these valuable feathers, of which each bird generally yields but four serviceable ones, they are bred in some villages in the neighbourhood of calcutta, but may also be seen stalking about the streets of the ‘city of palaces,’ where, on account of their scavenger utility, a heavy fine is imposed upon their destruction.
brehin, who chased the marabou on the banks of the white nile, found him a most provoking game, always regulating his steps after those of his pursuer and keeping at a safe distance of two or three hundred paces. such is his caution that he places sentinels to give notice of approaching danger, which is the more remarkable as he is one of the most voracious of birds.
trusting to his agility and the certainty of his eye, the indian ichneumon or mongoos attacks without hesitation the most venomous serpents. the cobra, which drives even the leopard to flight, rises before the little creature with swelling hood and fury in its eye; but, swift as thought, the ichneumon, avoiding the death-stroke of the projecting fangs, leaps upon its back, and fastening his sharp teeth in the head, soon despatches the helpless reptile.
the serpents sometimes even feed upon their own brethren. thus a rat-snake in the zoological gardens was once seen to305 devour a common coluber natrix, but not having taken the measure of his victim, he could not dispose of the last four inches of his tail, which stuck out rather jauntily from the side of his mouth, with very much the look of a cigar. after a quarter of an hour the tail began to exhibit a retrograde motion, and the swallowed snake was disgorged, nothing the worse for his living sepulchre, with the exception of the wound made by his partner when first he seized him.
a python in the same collection, who had lived for years on friendly terms with a brother nearly as large as himself, was found one morning sole tenant of his den. as the cage was secure, the keeper was puzzled to know how the serpent had escaped. at last it was observed that the remaining inmate had swollen remarkably during the night, when the truth came out.
mongoos.
when we consider that the snakes have neither legs, wings, nor fins, and are indeed deprived of all the usual means of locomotion, the rapidity of their progress is not a little surprising. on examining the anatomical structure of their body, however, it will be remarked that while we have only twelve pairs of ribs united in front by the breast-bone and cartilage, the snake has often more than three hundred, unconnected in front, and consequently much more free in their motions, a306 faculty which is still further increased by the great mobility of the spondyli of the backbone. between the ribs and the broad transverse scales or plates which exist on the belly of all such serpents as move rapidly, we find numerous muscles connecting them one with another, and thus, amply provided with a whole system of strong pulleys and points of attachment, the reptile, bringing up the tail towards the head, by bending the body into one or more curves, and then again resting upon the tail and extending the body, glides swiftly along, not only upon even ground, but even sometimes from branch to branch, as the smallest hold suffices for its stretching out its body at a foot’s length into the air, and thus reaching another sallying point for further progress.
the anatomy of the serpent’s jaws is no less remarkable than the mechanism of its movements. in spite of their proverbial wisdom, snakes would not be able to exist unless they were able to swallow large animal masses at a time. for, however rapid their motions may be, those of their prey are in general still more active, and thus they are obliged to wait in ambush till a fortunate chance provides them with a copious meal. the victim is often much more bulky than the serpent itself, but still, without tearing it to pieces, it is able to engulph it in its swelling maw. for the two halves of its lower jaw do not coalesce like ours into one solid mass, but are merely connected in front by a loose ligament, so that each part can be moved separately. the bones of the upper jaw and palate are also loosely attached or articulated one with the other, and thus the whole mouth is capable of great distension. by this mechanism, aided by the numerous sharp teeth, which are so many little hooks with the point curved backwards, each side of the jaws and mouth being able to act as it were independently of the other, alternately hooks itself fast to the morsel, or advances to fasten itself farther on in a similar manner, and thus the reptile draws itself over its prey, somewhat in the same way as we draw a stocking over our leg, after having first, by breaking the bones, fashioned it into a convenient mass, and rendered its passage more easy by lubricating it with its saliva. slowly the huge lump disappears behind the jaws, descends lower and lower beneath the scales, which seem ready to burst asunder with distension, and then the satisfied monster coils307 himself up once more to digest his meal in quiet. the time required for this purpose varies of course according to the size of the morsel; but often weeks or even months will pass before a boa awakens from the lethargic repose in which—the image of disgusting gluttony—he lies plunged after a superabundant meal.
the reptiles in the zoological gardens are offered food once a week, but even then their appetites are frequently not yet awakened, though great care is taken never to spoil their stomachs by excess.
this is the time for visiting the reptile house, which otherwise offers but little amusement, as the great snakes have either retired from public life under their blankets, or lie coiled upon the branches of the trees in their dens. three o’clock is the feeding-time, and the reptiles, which are on the look-out, seem to know full well the errand of the man who enters with the basket, against the side of which they hear the fluttering wings of the feathered victims, and the short stamp of the doomed rabbits. the keeper opens the door at the back of the den of the huge pythons, for these he need not fear, takes off their blanket and drops a rabbit, who hops from side to side, curious to inspect his new habitation, and probably finding it to his taste, sits on his haunches and leisurely begins to wash his face. silently the python glides over the stones, uncurling his huge folds, looks for an instant upon his unconscious victim, and the next has seized him with his jaws. his contracting folds are twisted as swiftly as a whiplash round his shrieking prey, and for ten minutes the serpent lies still, maintaining his mortal knot until his prey is dead, when seizing it by the ears, he draws it through his vice-like grip, crushing every bone, and elongating the body preparatory to devouring it.
the arrangement for feeding the venomous kinds, is, of course, more cautious. the door opens at the top instead of at the side of the dens, and with good reason; for no sooner does the keeper remove with a crooked iron rod, the blanket from the cobra, than the reptile springs with inflated hood into an s-like attitude and darts laterally at his prey, whose sides have scarcely been pierced, when it is seized with tetanic spasms, and lies convulsed in a few seconds.
308 these instantaneous effects, almost as rapid as those of a mortal shot or of lightning itself, might at first sight seem to warrant the conclusion that the genius of evil had formed the venomous serpents to be his chosen agents of destruction; but at a nearer view, they afford but another proof of the beneficence of the creator in providing weak, sober, and by no means cruel creatures, with a weapon which makes up to them for the want of speed, and at the same times abridges the torments of their victims.
though generally the objects of abhorrence and fear, yet serpents sometimes render themselves useful or agreeable to man. thus the rat-snake of ceylon (coryphodon blumenbachii), in consideration of its services in destroying vermin, is often kept as a household pet, and so domesticated by the natives as to feed at their table.
the agility of this serpent in seizing its nimble-footed prey is truly wonderful. one day sir emerson tennent had an opportunity of surprising a coryphodon which had just seized on a rat, and of covering it suddenly with a glass shade, before it had time to swallow its prey. the serpent, which appeared stunned with its own capture, allowed the rat to escape from its jaws, which cowered at one side of the glass in an agony of terror. on removing the shade, the rat, recovering its spirits, instantly bounded towards the nearest fence, but quick as lightning it was followed by its pursuer, which seized it before it could gain the hedge, through which the snake glided with its victim in its jaws.
the beautiful coral-snake (elaps corallinus) is fondled by the brazilian ladies, but the domestication of the dreaded cobras as protectors in the place of dogs, mentioned by major skinner, on undoubtedly good authority,26 is still more remarkable. they glide about the house, going in and out at pleasure, a terror to thieves, but never attempting to harm the inmates.
the tree-snakes offer many beautiful examples of the adaptation of colour to the animal’s pursuits, which we have already had occasion to admire in our brief review of the tropical insect world. they are frequently of an agreeable green or bluish309 hue, so as hardly to be distinguishable from the foliage among which they seek their prey, or where they themselves are liable to be seized upon by their enemies. they are often able vertically to ascend the smoothest trunks and branches, in search of squirrels and lizards, or to rifle the nests of birds.
the water-snakes which infest some parts of the tropical seas, though far from equalling in size the vast proportions of the fabulous sea-serpent, are very formidable from their venomous bite. they have the back part of the body and tail very much compressed and raised vertically, so as to serve them as a paddle with which they rapidly cleave the waters.
