The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-08-19

mental laDltallOn. u. IL NJ
| The Boa CoNsTRIcToR. We are indebt-
ed to our friend DR.. Durkee, Of No 2G How
ard, street. for tie following minute and in
tcrcsting description of the Boa Constructor,
which is now on exhibition in this city.-B0St
| TrdU
Curiosity, and taste for the marvellous
and the beautiful in nature, have prompted
me to pay few visits 70 this wonderful ami
NAL which was brought to this city from South
America, and is now to be seen at the corner
of Hanover and Court streets. He was taken
by few hunters, in the night time, by means
Of a strong rope net and was Immediately
transported to this country in a vessel. He
is apparently in healthy state. His di-
mansions and other qualities entitle him to a
special notice. His weight is one hundred
pounds length 10 feet; circumference l-2
feet. He lies coiled up in glass cage, which
| is about five feet long by less than two wide
and thus arranging himself, he finds plenty
Of elbow room. The width of the head is
about four inches at the articulation of the
upper to the lower jaw. His head is about
as thick as mans two hands when placed
! in iuxta-postion and opened. The upper lip
comes down, like that Of dog,oyer the lower
! Jaw, and completely conccals the teeth. Du-
ring one Of my calls the fellow opened his
mouth, unbidden, as if to display his two sets
of most beautiful teeth, which pointed slightly
downward and backward toward the throat,
which was as much as to say, advance if you
dare. The largest teeth are in the upper
! Jaw, and measure visibly about half an inch
in length, and at the base are about three
! lines in circumference. His eyes are rather
prominent, like those of the cat but not SO
large, and the pupil is fixed i'll the same per-
lpendicular manner. The color of this organ
is splendid shining amber, and exhibits no
! little Of the cunning that prevails Within
His tongue is forked-about the size of a COM
mon goose quill, and is almost continually at
work thrusting its lightning darts at every
| body and every thing, and thus, like some
men, he shows himself 10 be tonguey fellow.
Sometimes, when reused TO special anger, the
animal will utter Kissing sound but this is
not often done.
At one of my visits l asked the keeper to
provoke the creature 10 furnish a specimen Of
his ability in this particular, but the serpent
would not respond. The scales upon the back
are about the size of the scales Of a large cod
fish but instead Of overlapping each other
rs in a fish, they lie in contact simply and
indeed it can hardly be said that this serpent
has scales, but rathera rough skin with smooth
lines dividing it into thousands Of small dia-
mond-shapod patches. The skin, like Joseph's
coat, is Of many coors,-yciow and brown
being the prevailing hucs. At times, when
bright, clear light falls upon it, the seven
prismatic rays are visible, and spread daz-
zling spIendor over the animal. Upon the
back large oval spots Of beautiful yellow, one
inch asuuder, arc arranged with perfect reg
ularity from one extremity to the other A
dark longitudinal stripe, bordered by dull
yellow, stretches like ribbon from the point
of the nose to about twelve inches below the
head, where the chain Of yellow disks COM
mcnces The nose is not unlike that ola dog,
only more Aattened. The nostrils and the cen
trail assure in the upper lip are almost pre-
cisely what we see in the canine species. The
boa rests his head upon the carpetcd floor Of
his cage and rarely moves it unless he is dis
tuIbed. The body is in Il constant yermicular
motion, as il he was endeayorngb by this mode
of exercise, to promote the process Of diges-
tion and thus ward off dyspepsia and the
gout At night he is taken out of his cage, and
sleeps in 4 large back room all alone, and is
not afraid Of robbers.
AS the keeper Of the serpent was endcav-
oring to conduct him from his dormitory TO
his cage, the other morning the serpent pass
ed two coils about the keepers body, and
squeezed him right heartily; whcreupon the
keeper began to pat the serpent gently, and
finally succeeded in cXtricatng himself from
his perlous situation and the boa went quiet
ly into his cage. | should not be at all sur
prsed if the animal should make meal of
his master the next time he wanted dinner.
lie has taken no nourishment, | understand
except small quantities Of water,since he was
caught, which is about two months
The mode adopted by the Boa Constructor
for securing his prey is, to place himself in
the crotch of u tree, or fix his prehensile tail
around Il limb as near the ground as may suit
his purpose, and there hang, watching for
some bird or hare, or even for tiger or
buffalo, which he docs not fear to attack with
terrible energy; and in an instant he coils
round the body of his victim and breaks ev-
cry bone as fit were a mere hand crush
es it to jelly, and finally prepares it TO be
devonred in such morsels as may suit his APP
petite. 1t is said that even among the larry
est Of these reptiles, the teeth are never en-
ployod in the most desperate engagements
When bird or other small animal is caught, |
the teeth are used merely to prevent such |
small game from making its escape; but in
combat with large animals the boa relies upon |
the strong folds of its body for victory over
its antagonist.
Al. :. - l. I.